Joyce T. Rybak, 78, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away peacefully at the Kobacker House Hospice on January 20th, 2025. Born on August 31, 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was the beloved daughter of the late Bernard and Eldena (Armstrong) Thale.
Joyce was a cherished member of the Church of Christ and found joy in gardening, hand bells, sewing, quilting, and reading.
She was a graduate of Finneytown High School in Cincinnati and DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, where she was a member of Delta Zeta sorority. She received her Master’s degree from Michigan University, where she met her husband, Carl, and then went on to law school at IUPUI where she received her J.D. After a brief stint with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, she spent the rest of her career as Chief Counsel for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), where she retired from in 2011.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Carl Rybak, her parents, and her sister, Silvia Patten.
She leaves behind her children, Deana (Gil) Leffler and Brad (Kelsey) Rybak, as well as her adored grandchildren, Callum Leffler, Porter Rybak, and Oakley Rybak.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the Alfordsville Christian Church, with burial to follow in the Oak Grove Church Cemetery. Visitation will take place on the same day from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Condolences may be made online at www.blakefuneralhomes.com
Blake Funeral Home in Loogootee, Indiana, is honored to serve the family of Joyce T. Rybak.
