Joyce Elva Wilson

Joyce Wilson, 95, rural Morton died Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at Gil-Mor Manor in Morgan. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 from First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls with Rev. Janiece Redman officiating. Burial will follow in the Morton City Cemetery. Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 3, 2011, from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Nelson-Martin Funeral Home in Redwood Falls and will continue on Wednesday at the church for one hour prior to services.

Arrangements are with Nelson-Martin Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelsonmartinfuneralservice.com .

Joyce Elva Wilson, the daughter of Ruben and Grace (Breitkreutz) Manthei, was born August 22, 1915 in Birch Coulee Township, Renville County. She moved with her family to Danube at the age of two. Following the death of her mother when Joyce was just three years old, she lived in the communities of Olivia, Buffalo Lake, Renville, and Lake Lillian, as well as communities in North Dakota, before staying at the Kuester farm. Joyce received her elementary education in six different schools.

On November 21, 1940, Joyce married Darwin Wilson. The wedding – which took place on at the John and Katie Kuester farm – was originally scheduled for November 11, but the Armistice Day Blizzard forced the couple to postpone their wedding until the roads were open. Following their marriage, Joyce and Darwin lived on the Scheffler Farm north of Morton, then moved to the Blume “North Place” for 12 years. They moved to the William and Lydia Blume farm in 1954 and remained there until moving into Redwood Falls in 2009. Joyce was a homemaker who dedicated her life to caring for her family. She was her husband’s helpmate on the farm and sold the eggs that her flock of 2,000 chickens produced. Joyce was passionate about gardening – both vegetables and flowers – and was an organic gardener decades before it became trendy.

Joyce and Darwin loved to travel and especially enjoyed taking road trips to every state. Their favorite was Alaska, which they drove to twice, camping along the way in their VW Van-a-gon. They also travelled extensively internationally and visited the countries of Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, Germany, England Scotland, Iceland, New Zealand and Israel. The only organized tour the couple took was to celebrate their 50th anniversary in Mexico. Joyce loved to dance. She and Darwin gracefully glided across the floor to any style of old-time music. They also enjoyed fishing during their retirement years.

Joyce was an excellent seamstress and frequently made outfits for her daughter – at her daughter’s request. She was an avid reader and, in retirement, enjoyed bird watching. Joyce loved to play cards and earned the moniker “Ace Wilson” from one of her frequent opponents. She was a generous, helpful person. Joyce was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls where she served as a greeter. She was not a joiner, however, and preferred to work behind the scenes growing and preparing vegetables for church suppers and baking desserts for fundraising events.

Joyce is survived by her husband, Darwin, who resides at Gil-Mor Manor in Morgan; her daughter Carol (Robert) Pagac of Apple Valley; her sisters Ruby (Jeff) Petersen of Boelus, Nebraska, and Betty (Virgil) Swenson of Willmar; and her brother Robert (Mary Ellen) Manthei of Rochester. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son William “Billy,” two brothers and one sister.

She died peacefully, with Darwin at her bedside, holding her hand. Blessed be her memory.