Joyce J. (Branham) Strom

Joyce Jeanette Strom, age 93, passed away peacefully Friday, October 9, 2020 at Bethesda Grand in Willmar.  Her memorial service will be 1:00 pm, Thursday October 15th at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, with interment in Clover Leaf Cemetery in Willmar.  Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, hafh.org.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bethel Lutheran Church of Willmar, to be received by the Bethel Quilters and Beautification Fund. 

Joyce was born November 6, 1926, in Park Rapids, MN, to William and Mabel (Featherolf) Branham.  She attended country school in her early years of education and graduated from Park Rapids High School in 1945.  Following graduation, she went to Indiana and worked for Crosely Corporation and later went to beauty school in Minneapolis. She was united in marriage to Marvin Strom on June 17, 1950, in Park Rapids, MN. They owned and operated the Nu-Mode Beauty Salon in Willmar for 30 years. During that time, they made many lifelong friends.  Later, Joyce worked for Flair Beauty Shop until retiring in 1995.

Joyce and Marvin loved their home on Eagle Lake. They enjoyed traveling to places such as Alaska, went on many cruises, and especially enjoyed their trip to Sweden, visiting relatives and friends.  Joyce moved into Willmar, after the death of her husband, Marvin in 1997.  Joyce continued going on bus trips throughout the United States.

Joyce was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar where she was active in Woman's Circle, Bethel Quilters and knitters, service groups for matins and funerals as well as a greeter. She felt it was important to do things for others as she visited friends in nursing homes and shared her bake goods.

Joyce moved into Bethesda Grand in March of 2018. She continued writing letters to family and friends, adding to her diary daily and looked forward to the challenge of the daily crossword puzzles in the West Central Tribune.

Joyce is survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Virgil and Gloria Strom of Bloomington, MN;  nieces and nephews; and other relatives including, Doug and Lisa Ruter, who helped care for Joyce her later years.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Marvin in 1997; and infant brother, Robert William.

Joyce's family would like to thank the staff at Bethesda Grand for the wonderful care, friendship, professionalism and love for Joyce during her time at Bethesda Grand. The family would also like to thank Doug and Lisa Ruter for their continuous care, love and dedication for Joyce in the last years of her life.

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