Joyce Wahlstrom

Joyce Mildred (Watkins) Wahlstrom, 97, left her temporary earthly home for her eternal home in heaven on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Sauk Rapids.  Her memorial service will be 1:00 pm, Sunday, December 7 at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Memorials preferred to CentraCare Hospice and Trout Lake Bible Camp in Pine River. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson & Johnson Funeral Home in Willmar. 

Joyce was born on January 6, 1928, in Newell, South Dakota to Selma (Anderson) and Calvin Watkins. At the age of nine, her family moved to rural Minnesota, where she grew up. She attended school through the 10th grade.

Joyce married Marvin Wahlstrom on February 14, 1945. They began building their life together on a farm south of Kerkhoven until 1964 when they moved to Kerkhoven. She invested her life in loving and caring for her husband and five children, baking homemade bread, sewing their clothes, showing hospitality to family and friends, growing a vegetable garden and canning and freezing the produce, growing beautiful flower gardens, and wonderfully decorating our home for each season. For a few years, she worked as a cook at the Kerkhoven school and then later she worked at Simmonds Produce.

Joyce was an artist and did chalk drawings. She would plan programs for our family to do together as a family ministry. She would draw a beautiful picture while her family sang, played instruments and read scripture. She and Marvin wanted to share the good news of Jesus and this was one of the ways they did that.
Joyce was a devoted member of Bethel Baptist Church and was active as a Sunday school teacher and superintendent, leader in GMG and women's ministries, custodian, and as a member of the choir.
 

Joyce is survived by her daughters: Donna (Rev. Bruce) Nelson of Moorhead, Wanda (Jerry) Hegman of St. Cloud, Marjo (Dr. Scott) Davis of St Cloud, and Ann (DeWayne) Boersma of Pennock. Also surviving are 10 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild; and her sister: Iris Peterson of Willmar.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin; son, David; eight siblings; grandson: Joseph; and great-grandchildren: Jackson, Samuel, and Brylee.

Joyce is at home now, filled with joy and peace. May her long, beautiful life forever be a blessing to all who knew her.

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