Joyce C. Koehn

Services for Joyce will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Eventide Heartland Care Center Chapel, Devils Lake. Music will be provided by Donovan Foughty and Jean Aardahl.

Joyce Caroline Koehn

Joyce Koehn died peacefully Saturday, December 10, 2022 at the age of 93 at Eventide Heartland Care Center in Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Joyce Caroline Koehn was born to Rudolph and Mildred Horkman Olson on October 25, 1929 at Litchville, North Dakota. Joyce attended several rural schools, high school at Valley City College High, and received her teaching certificate from Valley City State College. Joyce was married to Kenneth Koehn on June 11, 1950 in Valley City, North Dakota. They spent most of their married life in Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Joyce’s life was committed to her faith, teaching, community, family and friends. Joyce was a devoted elementary school teacher at Page and Church’s Ferry, North Dakota and later was a substitute teacher in Devils Lake, North Dakota. Into her retirement she volunteered many hours of early morning readings to elementary students.

The Salvation Army mission was special to Joyce. At Christmas time you would see her along with Kenny ringing the bell no matter the weather conditions. She modeled compassion and giving to others and taught her family to do the same through adopting a family and providing Christmas gifts along with her special baked goodies.  For many years she volunteered to serve and deliver Thanksgiving and Christmas meals at the Senior Center.

Oh those baked goodies! Joyce was famous for her homemade buns and caramel rolls.  Any time the family gathered in Devils Lake there was always a fresh batch of buns. The grandkids remember her giving out coupons for her buns, cookies and scotcheroos. 

Joyce was an active and impassioned supporter of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities.  She was also a longtime, enthusiastic fan of UND Sioux hockey.  She and Kenny would watch or listen to the games faithfully. She had many a sleepless night after a UND loss.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Koehn, parents Rudolph (Bette) Olson and Mildred (Ed) Thorstad; her sister, Gloria Selk; her brother, Glenn Olson; and grandson, Matthew Mundt.

Joyce is survived by her 5 children; daughter, Nikki (Dan) Schmaltz of Fargo North Dakota, son, Kent (Denise) Koehn of Gwinn, Michigan, daughter, Patti (Daniel) Mundt of Cedar, Minnesota, son, Mark (Nancy) Koehn of Fargo, North Dakota, and daughter, Julli (Kevin) Nissen of Minot, North Dakota.

Joyce enjoyed 11 grandchildren: Tami (Brett) Ketelsen, Kari (Joe) Minnich, Blake (Emily) Koehn, Matthew Mundt (in heaven), Christopher Mundt, Chelsey (Brent) Jensen, Travis (Jennifer) Koehn, Nikole Koehn, Haley (Chase) Muhonen, Angela (Mathew) Phillips, Jacob (Tracy) Nissen and her 20 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. 

She was a member of Bethel Evangelical Free Church. She enjoyed being part of the church women’s and prayer groups. Joyce’s life will be celebrated at Eventide Heartland Healthcare Center in the spring or early summer.   

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Salvation Army, the Hope Center or Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.gilbertsonfuneralhome.com/.