91

August 31

Salem

Joyce Nelson was born Joyce Melissa Kneen on April 26, 1929, to Harold and Beatrice (Estabrook) Kneen at Artesian. She lived with her family in the Artesian area and later lived with her sister, Shirley Vinz, in the Spencer area and attended school at Artesian and later in Spencer. 

She met Clifford via a double-date with both of their best friends while she was in high school in Spencer. On August 28, 1947, she married Clifford Nelson and they made their home on a farm near Montrose where they farmed until Clifford’s death in 2011. Joyce remained on the farm until 2017 when she moved to Leisure Living in Salem. In 2020, she moved to Diamond Care Center due to health issues. Joyce was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church in Salem. Joyce enjoyed gardening and quilting and was an excellent seamstress and cook. Joyce loved farming and especially liked the baby animals. Plowing was her least favorite job. She was an extremely hard worker and worked right alongside Cliff the entire time they farmed. 

Joyce is survived by five children: Donna (Kurt) Fink of Plankinton, Bette (Tom) Andreas of New Philadelphia, Ohio, Barbara (Jimmy) Salmon of Vicksburg, Miss., Sandy (Jim) Koch of Salem, Doris (Bill Ranney) Peterson of Vermillion;  daughter-in-law, Mary Nelson; 17 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by parents Harold and Beatrice; husband, Clifford; two sons, Clifford Henry, Jr. and Troy Douglas Frederick; two brothers, Warren and Orie Kneen, and three sisters, Shirley Vinz, Eleanor Hendrix and Clarice Krueger.

Funeral services were held September 5 at Kinzley Funeral Home in Salem with burial at the Canistota Cemetery.  

Arrangements provided by Kinzley Funeral Home in Salem.