Joyce Eichelberger

Joyce Eichelberger, age 88, of Willmar, Minnesota, formerly of Palmer, Iowa, died Sunday morning, February 14, at Bethesda Pleasant View Nursing Home in Willmar.

Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 19, at the Calvary Lutheran Church Chapel in Willmar, MN, and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Palmer, IA. Visitation will be 9-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Palmer. Interment with be at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Palmer. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Green Lake Lutheran Ministries (gllm.org) in Spicer, MN, Twin Lakes Bible Camp (twinlakesbiblecamp.org) in Manson, IA, or the donor's choice are preferred.

Joyce Geraldine Eichelberger was born August 20, 1927, on the family farm near Pomeroy, Iowa, the daughter of William and Lena (Behrends) Seehusen. She grew up in the Pomeroy community and graduated from Pomeroy High School. Following high school, she worked for an insurance agency in Pomeroy. On August 29, 1948, Joyce was united in marriage to Leo Eichelberger at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pomeroy. They lived and farmed on the Aden farm in Lincoln Township for 10 years and were blest with four children, Dean, Nancy, Roger and Carol. Joyce worked a variety of jobs and retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she worked as a crop surveyor. In October 2010, they moved to Willmar, Minnesota.

Joyce was an active member at St. Paul Lutheran Church, serving on the Altar Guild and with WELCA. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, traveling, and playing cards and croquet. They spent many winters in California and were known as "snowbirds".

She is survived by three children, Dean (and Dena) Eichelberger of Willmar, MN, Roger (and Joann) Eichelberger of Palmer, IA, and Carol (and Ken) Keymer of Boulder, CO; a son-in-law, Mark (and Meredith) Spitz of Arroyo Grande, CA; ten grandchildren: Tanya (and Tim) Miller, Christine (and Mark) Piper, Grant (and Kristen) Spitz, Ashley (and Ryan) Riley, Jay (and Mary Beth) Eichelberger, Heidi (and Chad) Baker, Jessie Eichelberger, Stephen Keymer, Kellon Keymer, and Kory Keymer; thirteen great-grandchildren; a brother, Vernon "Bonnie" (and Carol) Seehusen of Pomeroy, IA; two sisters, Norma (and Roland) Pillack of Des Moines, IA, and Janet (and Don) Buenting of Antioch, CA; a sister-in-law, Pat Seehusen of Fort Dodge, IA; and other relatives and friends.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Leo in 2012; a daughter, Nancy Spitz; a son-in-law, Harold Thompson; two brothers, Louie Seehusen and Irvin "Butch" Seehusen; a sister, Loretta Jansen; and a great-grandchild, Jasper Keymer.

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