1940
Joyce
2017
Joyce Lawver
July 29, 1940 — February 11, 2017
Joyce Ann Lawver, 76, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2017. A celebration of life service will be held at Stephan Immaculate Conception Church located at 206 Crow Creek Loop, Stephan, South Dakota 57346.
Joyce was born on July 29, 1940 in Wessington Springs, South Dakota to the late Joseph and Eleanor (Etbauer) Knippling. She grew up on a large cattle ranch near Gann Valley South Dakota. She developed her hard work ethics by working alongside her mother and sisters on the ranch, cooking, cleaning and gardening for the family and hired hands. She attended a one room school house through eighth grade when she transferred to attend high school at Gann Valley. After high school she went on to Presentation College in Aberdeen South Dakota, where she graduated with a degree in Nursing.
Joyce met her husband, Kenneth, at the roller skating rink when she was in eighth grade and knew that he was the one for her. They later went on their first date to a movie and were eventually married on October 22, 1960. She had 4 children and lived in many different states and even lived overseas following her husband’s career in civil engineering working with the Federal Government. During this time she divided her time working as a nurse as well as being a stay at home mom. After she retired from nursing, she worked at a garden center helping others using her love of gardening and skills she developed from landscaping her own yard.
She stayed involved in her children’s school activities by being room mom and an active booster club member. She had many hobbies including sewing, knitting, gardening, reading, crocheting, and cooking and baking. She was such an amazing cook that it was often said by family and friends that you never went away from her table hungry. Grandkids each had their favorites but most often asked for her chocolate chip cookies and amazing cinnamon rolls. She loved her grandkids and was very involved in their lives and activities. Joyce and Ken loved the outdoors and spent many vacations camping in the Volkswagen camper van that they brought back from Germany when they were living overseas. She was very athletic and enjoyed hiking, biking and swimming. Get-togethers always included big dinners followed by some kind of game such as basketball or volleyball. She enjoyed playing cards and ping pong with the grandkids. Her favorite destination place was the ocean where she could walk for hours along the surf picking up shells, sea glass and the occasional sharks teeth.
Joyce is survived by her husband Kenneth; children Lisa (Phil) Stupps, Rex (Leah) Lawver, Jonna (Bill) Watson; grandchildren – who she called the magnificent seven – Stephanie, Mikayla, Sam, Jack, Rylie, Luke and Taylor. Siblings Donald, Jerald, and Clayton Knippling, Mary Jo Joens; and many other extended family members. She is preceded in death by her son Ricky Lawver, and her parents Joseph and Eleanor Knippling and her sister Genevieve Rank.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072 Pittsfield, MA 01202. Share online condolences at TerraceParkFuneral.com.
Joyce was born on July 29, 1940 in Wessington Springs, South Dakota to the late Joseph and Eleanor (Etbauer) Knippling. She grew up on a large cattle ranch near Gann Valley South Dakota. She developed her hard work ethics by working alongside her mother and sisters on the ranch, cooking, cleaning and gardening for the family and hired hands. She attended a one room school house through eighth grade when she transferred to attend high school at Gann Valley. After high school she went on to Presentation College in Aberdeen South Dakota, where she graduated with a degree in Nursing.
Joyce met her husband, Kenneth, at the roller skating rink when she was in eighth grade and knew that he was the one for her. They later went on their first date to a movie and were eventually married on October 22, 1960. She had 4 children and lived in many different states and even lived overseas following her husband’s career in civil engineering working with the Federal Government. During this time she divided her time working as a nurse as well as being a stay at home mom. After she retired from nursing, she worked at a garden center helping others using her love of gardening and skills she developed from landscaping her own yard.
She stayed involved in her children’s school activities by being room mom and an active booster club member. She had many hobbies including sewing, knitting, gardening, reading, crocheting, and cooking and baking. She was such an amazing cook that it was often said by family and friends that you never went away from her table hungry. Grandkids each had their favorites but most often asked for her chocolate chip cookies and amazing cinnamon rolls. She loved her grandkids and was very involved in their lives and activities. Joyce and Ken loved the outdoors and spent many vacations camping in the Volkswagen camper van that they brought back from Germany when they were living overseas. She was very athletic and enjoyed hiking, biking and swimming. Get-togethers always included big dinners followed by some kind of game such as basketball or volleyball. She enjoyed playing cards and ping pong with the grandkids. Her favorite destination place was the ocean where she could walk for hours along the surf picking up shells, sea glass and the occasional sharks teeth.
Joyce is survived by her husband Kenneth; children Lisa (Phil) Stupps, Rex (Leah) Lawver, Jonna (Bill) Watson; grandchildren – who she called the magnificent seven – Stephanie, Mikayla, Sam, Jack, Rylie, Luke and Taylor. Siblings Donald, Jerald, and Clayton Knippling, Mary Jo Joens; and many other extended family members. She is preceded in death by her son Ricky Lawver, and her parents Joseph and Eleanor Knippling and her sister Genevieve Rank.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072 Pittsfield, MA 01202. Share online condolences at TerraceParkFuneral.com.
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