Joyce E. Braun, 85, of Le Mars, formerly of Palo Alto, California, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at Brentwood Good Samaritan Village in Le Mars. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 20, 2015, at All Saints Parish-St. Joseph Catholic Church in Le Mars. Father Kevin Richter will celebrate Mass. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church with a rosary at 9:30 a.m. Pallbearers will be Rod and Ann Walker, Dean and Leann Bohlken, Larry and Kerri Stinton.
Joyce Elizabeth Braun was born December 1, 1929, at Chatsworth, Iowa, the eldest child of John F. and Helen F. (Groetken) Braun. The family moved to Le Mars, where she attended St. Joseph School. In 1946, she joined the Franciscan Sisters at Dubuque and taught for 22 years in schools in Iowa and in Portland, Oregon.
In 1972, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where her parents and brother, John lived. She worked in religious education programs and as a secretary in San Francisco. She was released from vows in 1976 and was the Principal of St. Leander School in San Leandro, California for 18 years and taught three years part-time for the school.
In 2000, she moved to Mountain View, California in order to care for her mother, who died in 2001. Joyce then moved to Stevenson House in Palo Alto, California. When her brother John died in January 2013, she moved back to Le Mars. Ms. Braun was a member of choirs and choruses most of her life. She liked to paint and
to travel. Joyce volunteered at her Parish in Mountain View.
She is survived by a sister, Lois Walker and her husband Matt of Le Mars; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John P. and Robert and his wife, Shirley (Lowe) Braun; a sister, Helen Mae Clarey and her husband Ray; and a nephew, Randy Walker.
Memorials may be directed to: St. Vincent de Paul Society, 58 Progress Parkway, Maryland Heights, Missouri 63043-3706
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