JOYCE GEORGIA NELSON
Joyce Georgia Nelson, 94, of Britton, SD, died Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at Four Seasons Healthcare Center, Forman, ND.
Joyce was born February 2, 1928, to George and Louise (Gronseth) Fiegel at home in Pleasant Valley Township, the fourth of seven children. She was baptized and confirmed at Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church, rural Kidder where she maintained a lifelong membership. She attended country school at Pleasant Valley #1 and graduated from Kidder Independent High school, valedictorian of her class, in 1944.
She and Orvin Nelson were married on October 4, 1944, in Aberdeen, SD. They lived on a farm south of Kidder all their lives where they raised their six children, Randall, Suzanne, Kathryn, Carolyn, Nancy and Jon. Joyce became postmistress of the Kidder post office on September 11, 1953, retiring after 20 years. For many years she was clerk of the Kidder School board and clerked at the Britton Sale Barn.
She was a former member of the Busy Bees Extension Club, Kidder Garden Club, Kidder Legion Auxiliary, Marshall County Historical Society, the National Association of Postmasters and Dorcas Society, Charities Circle and WELCA of Pleasant Valley Church.
Joyce had an adventurous spirit. She earned her private pilot’s license in 1983 and real estate licenses in Arizona in 1977 and South Dakota in 1983. She enjoyed traveling, attending elder hostels, bird watching, flying her private airplane, snowmobiling, bowling and golfing. She was an avid reader and enjoyed museums and history. She enjoyed many hobbies and crafts including sewing (often sewing clothes for us girls in the evening after work) glass etching, chair caning, basket weaving, crocheting, ceramics, embroidery and macrame. The great grandchildren were entertained every summer with “tea parties” at Grandma’s home.
In later years she spent several winters in Arizona and most recently in Bismarck, ND.
Grateful for having shared her life are her children Randall (Mary Ruth Franzen) Nelson, Wahpeton, ND, Carl Nelson and Elizabeth Nelson; Suzanne (Bo) Svard, Britton, SD, Christine (J.) Sanders, Erika Svard (Tom Nielson), Chandler, Britta and Lilly; Kathryn (Russ) Buisker, Britton, SD, Brenda (Ron) Johnson, Michael (Mona) Buisker, Stephanie (Brad) Brandt, Parker, Paula (Matt) Loewe, Madeline, Kathryn and Allison; Carolyn (Frank) Evans, Gold Canyon, AZ, Travis Evans (Jowill Leano), Zoe and Tripp, Jacqueline (Seth) Lindfors, Halle, Cole, Bruce and William; Nancy (Steven) Krahler, Bismarck, ND, Cameron (Romelle Edstrom) Luitjens, Kristin Krahler, Jeffrey Krahler; Jon (Joanne) Nelson, Rapid City, SD; her sister, Alice Moeckly, her brother-in-law, Duane Thayer, several cousins, nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Orvin on March 7, 1993, her parents, four sisters and their spouses, Helen (Charles) Pitkin, Eleanor Fiegel, Ann (Mel) Stohl, Doris (William) Rogers, brother and sister-in-law, Walt (Margaret) Fiegel, sister-in-law, Lorraine Thayer and brother-in-law, Richard Moeckly.
Mom had a great wit and a large personality. In her own words she said, “she had a sense of humor - most of the time!”
“Life is short, eat dessert first!”
An online guestbook and obituary is available at www.pricefuneralchapel.net.