Joyce S. Serie

JOYCE SYBIL SERIE was born on September 12, 1922, to George and Susie (Mertens) Petersen of Denver Township of Rock County, near Hardwick, Minnesota. She grew up on a family farm with her three older brothers and knew the meaning of hard work at an early age. She was baptized at the Methodist Church in Luverne, Minnesota. Joyce attended a one-room country school, District #49, and later attended Luverne High School. Following her education, she returned home to help on the farm.

Joyce met Luverle Jerome "L.J." Serie at the Gem Dance Hall in Hardwick. They were married on October 7, 1943, in a small chapel at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where L.J. was stationed with the U.S. Army. They resided in Lawton, Oklahoma and later, Gainesville, Texas. In 1944, Joyce returned home to her parents during L.J.'s deployment overseas. Upon his discharge in November of 1945, they came back to Hardwick to farm near the Petersen's family farm. In the ensuing years, they were blessed with 12 children as they worked to farm to make ends meet. In 1962, they moved to Tyler, Minnesota and continued on with a dairy farm south of town.

In 1979, they moved from the farm into town where Joyce worked as a cook at the Kronborg Inn for three years; then as a co-manager and cook of Danebod Village. She retired in 2001, after 18 years of serving the elderly community. In 2009, L.J. and Joyce moved into a Danebod Village apartment. After being blessed with 67 years of marriage together, L.J. died in 2010. Joyce continued living in her apartment until 2013, when she moved to a small apartment in the main building of Danebod Village. On May 3, 2019, she entered the Sunrise Manor nursing home in Tyler where she passed away on November 22, 2019 at the age of 97 years, two months, and 10 days.

Joyce was a very active and devoted mother and grandmother, taking many shifts as a daycare grandma! Her cooking and baking skills were top notch; with homemade bread, buns, and cinnamon rolls being her specialties! She was an excellent dancer and enjoyed being led around the dance floor in L.J.'s arms. Her love, support, and selflessness made her an excellent example as Mom, Grandmother, and a wife.

Joyce had a deep abiding faith in God and a wonderful gift of understanding and forgiveness! The family was blessed for all the prayers she offered for each of us. She was a member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler, where she taught CCD and was a member of the CCW group. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Joyce is lovingly remembered by her 12 children, Jerome (Bernadette) Serie of Easton, Maryland, James (Monika) Serie of Lincoln, Nebraska, Susan (Bruce) Slocum of Litchfield, Nebraska, Jeanne (Craig) Norgaard of Tyler, Keith (Kathy) Serie of Tyler, Carole (Ron) Carr of Tyler, Donna (Bryan) Hedlof of Spicer, Minnesota, Mary (Rich) Wiering of Tyler, Paul (Sue) Serie of Mitchell, South Dakota, Connie Freese (Ron Drew) of Baltic, South Dakota, Judy (Duane) Wichern of Tyler, and Jolene (Jamie) Becker of Brookings South Dakota; 37 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, L.J.; parents;one grandson; and three brothers.