Joyce M. Braaten, 96

Joyce M. Braaten, 96, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at Our House Memory Care in Austin.

Joyce Marcella was born July 7, 1924 on the family farm near Tolley, North Dakota to George and Emma (Ones) Nelson. She attended school in Tolley, North Dakota and graduated from Osage High School in Iowa. After graduation, she attended normal school and taught grades 3 thru 8 and then K-12 in St. Ansgar, Iowa. She traveled to Oregon to help in the war effort during WWII. Joyce was united in marriage to Kenneth Braaten on September 8, 1946 at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church. In the 1950s, she survived a battle with polio.

She worked as a nursing assistant at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home and was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church where she was active in WELCA. In her spare time, she loved to read. Joyce was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother; she even taught her four daughters the art of lefse baking.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenneth in 1995; daughter and son-in-law, Jeanne and Duane Rennick; and sister, Evelyn.

Joyce is survived by her daughters: Bette Martin of Owatonna, Ellen (Tim) Gerber of Austin, and Denise (Robert) Meyer of Maple Grove; grandchildren: Brook Martin, Kent Rennick, Andrew Gerber, Seth Martin, Thomas Gerber, Joseph Gerber, Sara Lundequam and Sean Meyer; several great grandchildren; brother: Eldon Nelson of Portage, Wisconsin; nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, May 29th at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with the Reverend Mark Niethammer officiating. Visitation will be at the church one hour before the service. Interment will be at Red Oak Grove Cemetery.

Memorials are preferred to St. Olaf Lutheran Church – Revive Organ Fund or The Hormel Institute.

Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.