Joyce M. Kehrberg, 87, of Hinton, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Le Mars. Rev. Peter Rosenkvist and Rev. Dr. Jean Ziettlow will officiate. Burial will follow at Stanton Township Cemetery, rural Merrill, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2015 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. The family will be present from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service scheduled at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral service on Tuesday.
Joyce Mary (Johanson) Kehrberg was born October 9, 1927 to Mary Gladys (Trafton) Johanson and Gustav Adolf Johanson in Dakota County, Nebraska. She grew up in farming family as the only daughter in a family of four. Her oldest brother Lawrence became a railroad engineer, the next oldest son Donald was a farmer and her youngest brother Lyle still farms in Wakefield, Nebraska. She shared many happy memories of her childhood filled with stories of loving parents, gardening, and many extended family Sunday meals. Joyce loved school, was an avid reader and graduated from Emerson High School in 1946. Her best friend throughout childhood and high school was Francis (Raber) Heimstra whom she shared an apartment with after high school when they worked in Sioux City, Iowa. Franny was like a sister to Joyce. Joyce started her career as model for J.C. Penney’s until she switched jobs to become an accountant and was later promoted to Head Bookkeeper for United Wholesalers in Sioux City.
During her time, in Sioux City she recalled walking with friends everywhere; to the Orpheum, to work and of course to all the big ballroom dances. Joyce met John Kehrberg her husband of 60 years at a “Sadie Hawkins” dance at the Tomba Ballroom. John always retold the story that upon completion of their first dance when she walked away, he knew he had to follow. Joyce married John Dahly Kehrberg in Emerson, Nebraska on a snowy day March 2, 1952 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Joyce moved with her new groom to his farm south of LeMars, Iowa where she and John became successful farmers and raised three children, Debra Joy, Steven John and Renae Sherry.
Joyce’s family and her husband where the center of her life. She always believed family came first. As a young couple in their twenties they were excellent ballroom dancers attending all the big band concerts that played the Midwest in the 1950s. After their first child, Debra was born their focus was on their much anticipated baby girl. Joyce loved being mother. All three of her children recall how while working in the house or outside she would teach them nursery rhymes, or the names of all the flowers, or the varieties and calls of different birds. She found the world fascinating and always wanted to share the joy of it all.
Joyce and John were life long active members at St. John’s Lutheran Church ELCA in LeMars, Iowa. Joyce loved being involved with the church. She was active in Circle, a member of the bowling league, a greeter, a Sunday school teacher and organized and taught vacation bible school. Her faith was deep and the church was a second home.
Joyce and John had a busy social life. They were members of a card club, president of the LeMars Square Dance Club and traveled to dances throughout the Midwest as well as national conventions. She was also her children’s 4-H leader with the summer Plymouth County fair a highlight of activities. Although they were busy, Joyce and her husband never missed any of their children’s concerts or sporting activities at Merrill Elementary, LeMars Middle or High School.
In addition, to local events for her family and community, Joyce loved to travel. She organized countless annual family two week summer vacations to national parks and historic landmarks. She and John traveled during their lifetime (often in their motor home) to all 50 states. Boating and camping were frequent long weekend activities especially once her children were adults and the entire family could get together. Their favorite lakeside retreat was Lewis and Clark Lake in South Dakota.
Joyce and John were proud of their children, whether it was Deb’s work as a school librarian, or Steve who went into the family farming business with his Dad and later brother-in-law John Meister or their youngest daughter Renae who works as an Assistant Superintendent for the Omaha Public Schools. They could not tell enough stories about their kids.
Since the 1980s, Joyce and her husband were “snowbirds” traveling south each winter to their second home they built off a golf course in Mesa, Arizona where their entire family joined every year for Christmas vacations. Arizona life was filled with golfing, a tennis league, dancing clubs, hiking and travel but they always considered Iowa their home. Joyce and her husband were active in Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mesa and in addition to ushering, and helping with communion Joyce organized the annual church bazaar for many years with her good friend Margaret Pecks.
In 1998, they moved off the farm to a house they built on the golf course in Hinton, Iowa. Retirement activities included frequent golf outings and many happy visits from their only granddaughter Rachel Meister Kehrberg (Debra’s daughter) who stopped by with Debra every afternoon after school to share the news of the day. Rachel was the apple of Joyce’s eye. Joyce and her granddaughter played card games, board games, hiked at local Hillview Park and ended most events with a bowl of ice cream. Rachel loved her Nana and Papa and could be found frequently with them at their house or on the Deer Creek golf course. Rachel starting “driving” the golf cart in Papa or Nana’s lap and going out with toy clubs to play with her grandparents at age two.
Frequent trips to Omaha, Nebraska were also on their schedule to visit Renae whether it was to her school, Alice Buffett Middle School, when she was a principal for the school’s dedication, a football game or to her house for Thanksgiving and other events.
Joyce’s love of nature and travel continued throughout her lifetime, during the last 20 years, dozens of family trips occurred often organized by Renae or Deb with John and Joyce helping to plan the excursion and Steve always joined. These travels included both their adult children and their son-in-law John Meister and granddaughter Rachel and were generally on river or ocean cruise ships to destinations that included: Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Costa Rico, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Estonia, France, Germany, Spain, Monte Carlo, Czechoslovakia, Turkey and Croatia. Joyce considered travel a grand adventure and loved having her family with her to share the beauty in the world.
If you heard laughter in a room most likely Joyce was at the center of it. She loved to talk with friends and family and did not know a stranger. Joyce loved fashion and decorating. She had countless crafts that occupied her in the evenings. Both her house and her person were well put together and welcoming. John would always say with a broad smile, “Joyce you look just like a bandbox.”
One of her many interests included reading both fiction and non-fiction. She would quickly engage in discussions around current local and national events. She was an advocate for equity for women and all groups of people. Consistently taking the perspective of those who might be disadvantaged. She never missed a chance to vote and participated in political rallies. She was thrilled when a woman ran for President and always treasured the opportunity of meeting and talking with Hillary Clinton.
Joyce suffered a massive stroke in her Mesa home in March 2012, and in her typical fashion fought back with tremendous resolve to be able to swallow, and eventually use her left hand and sustain weight on her left leg. Her husband John lovingly took care of her in their Hinton home until his death in August of 2012. Debra and her family moved into her home and Renae spent the weekends with her mom to continue the care and love provided by family. Even after the stroke unable to talk or walk, she had great joy. Smiling and listening intently at the stories told by her daughters and granddaughter and appreciative for all the physical support from her son Steve and son-in-law John. Her brother Lyle and his wife Betty, who she was always close with in both their Midwest and Mesa homes, visited often. She could be frequently spotted on her deck or off for a “roll” with her children enjoying the outdoors with her constant furry dog companion, Carmel on her lap. Her last excursion was this past Easter Sunday at St. John’s with dinner after. She was the hearts core of her family and was deeply loved by them all.
Joyce is survived by her three children, Debra Kehrberg and her husband John Meister of Hinton, Iowa, Steven Kehrberg of Hinton, Iowa and Renae Kehrberg of Omaha, Nebraska; a granddaughter Rachel Joy Meister Kehrberg of Hinton, Iowa; and a brother Lyle Johanson of Wakefield, Nebraska. She is also survived by her sister-in-laws Betty Johanson, Shirley Hanno and Helen Kehrberg and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Lawrence Johanson and Donald Johnson.
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