Joyce Lorraine Brown, 92, formerly of Gillett, passed away peacefully on June 11, 2019.
Joyce was born on Sept. 8, 1926, to the late Henry and Clara (Culver) Siebert. She graduated from Gillett High School in 1944.
On Jan. 13, 1945, Joyce married William (Bill) G. Brown at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Gillett. They were married for 58 years. Together they operated the family dairy farm from 1945 to 1972.
Joyce was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett, and was involved in many aspects of the church. She also enjoyed bowling, playing cards, tending to her flowers, bird watching, and cooking meals for, and visiting with, family and friends.
Joyce and Bill traveled to many places over the years and her favorites were Europe and Hawaii.
Joyce is survived by three sons, Bob (Carmen), Daniel (Carol), both of Gillett, and Joe (Pamela) Columbus; one daughter, Rebecca (Rob) Lonergan, Florida; 10 grandchildren, Tonia (Jim) Becker, Jamie (Carrie) Brown, Teresa (Nathan) Raddatz, Michele (Chad) DeBauch, Joe (Treva) Brown, Kimberly (Matt) Bjelland, Erich (Trish) Brown, Erin (Scott) Buhrandt, Bridgid (Matt) Ricci, and Jordan Brown and fiancé, Karissa; many great-grandchildren; one sister, Barbara Montfort; sisters-in-laws, Barbara Siebert, Virginia Siebert and Dottie (Arvin) Rank; dear cousin, Mae Eggert; several nieces and nephews and special friends, RoJene Brown and Dick Jewell. She was Godmother to Deborah Pieper, Linda Rademann, Bonnie Evenson and Gary Siebert.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Earle Siebert and Gordon Siebert; and nine sisters, Gertrude Schabell, Verna Schoenick, Marcella Wilke, Erma Hoffman, Ruth Halverson, Betty Haley, Elaine Amond, Dawn Liesch and Virgene Delzer.
Visitation will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett on Saturday, June 15, 2019, from 9 a.m. until the funeral service at 11 a.m. with Pastor Kent Wallace officiating. Joyce will be laid to rest by her husband in Wanderer’s Rest Cemetery in Gillett. Gruetzmacher Funeral Home in Suring is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be expressed at www.gruetzmacherfuneralhome.com.
A memorial fund has been established in memory of Joyce at the Friends of the Gillett Public Library.
A special thanks to her many friends and caregivers at the Woodland Village Nursing Home, in Suring, where Joyce called home for 4½ years.