Helen Joyce "Joy" Stevenson

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Helen Joyce (Joy) Stevenson was born at home at Dallas, South Dakota on October 3, 1930. She was the third of eight children born to Elmer and Hazel Bell. She lived on a farm until she entered high school where she enjoyed cheerleading and watching her brothers play basketball
and graduated with honors from Fairfax High School, Fairfax, South Dakota. She then earned an elementary teacher’s certificate from Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, South Dakota. She taught in the rural schools of Gregory and Bon Homme County in South Dakota until 1954.

Joyce married Donald W Stevenson on December 31, 1950 at Fairfax, South Dakota. To this union two daughters were born: Carol Joyce and Janet Rahe. The family resided in Springfield, South Dakota until 1967 when they moved to Wahpeton, North Dakota where her husband was Dean of Trades at NDSCS. Joyce returned to college and earned an associate degree in accounting and business management from NDSCS. The last 12 years before her retirement she assisted the Office Manager at Smith Motors, Inc. in Wahpeton. Prior to that she was director of payroll and personnel at Wil-Rich Manufacturing for 10 years, worked at St. Francis Nursing Home business office for 4 years and 2 years for Farmers Union Insurance. In 2009, Don and Joyce moved to One Oak Place in Fargo, North Dakota to be closer to family and to enjoy more time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Following Don’s passing in 2020, Joyce moved to Bethany on University.

Joyce was a very shy, reserved person with a generous and caring heart for others. Her family was most important to her. She spent much of her time making and sewing things for her two daughters and their families. She loved to sew, crochet, knit and do crafty projects. She found much pleasure in sharing her pieces of work with family and friends. She enjoyed being a volunteer for Project Linus and made many blankets for them. She loved poetry, reading and working crossword puzzles and Sudoku. She also enjoyed her daily walks. She was an excellent cook and baker. The holidays were full of a variety of foods and goodies. She took delight in her family being together and enjoying time at the dinner table. In her later years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Joyce overcame many adversities with this disabling disease which took more than anyone knows yet Joyce persevered. She was a gallant woman with a strong heart.

Joyce was an active member of United Church of Christ of Wahpeton, North Dakota and assisted whenever possible with Women’s Fellowship activities, served on the Altar Guild and Memorial Committee and a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star. After Don and Joyce moved to Fargo, they attended First Congregational Church of Fargo, North Dakota and enjoyed assisting with setup of communion whenever needed.

Survivors include two daughters, Carol (Steve) Arthaud of Fargo, ND, and Janet (Mitchel) Malme of Fargo, ND; four grandchildren, Carey (Matthew) Hory of Adairsville, GA, Kayla (Tyler) Gylland of Colfax, ND, Justin (Savannah) Malme of Fargo, ND and Melanie Malme of Grand Forks, ND. Great-grandchildren, Karah Madison Hory of Adairsville, GA, Bryce Anthony Gylland and Chloe Grace Gylland of Colfax, ND, and Odin Jubert Malme and Lizzy Jean Malme of Fargo, ND, sisters-in-law Priscilla Bell of Rapid City, SD and Jean Pirner of Wagner, SD as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Don, parents Elmer and Hazel Bell of Sturgis, SD, a sister and brother-in-law, Donna Lou (Alvin) Schenefeld of Parkston, SD, six brothers and sisters-in-law Charles Gilmer (Bernice) Bell of Downey, CA, Elmer Wayne (Lois) of Norwalk, CA, Eddie Lee (Verdean) of Winner, SD, Mark Leroy of Rapid, City, SD, George Elwyn (Sharon) of Belle Fourche, SD, Marion James (Sharon) of South Gate, CA, and mother-in-law and father-in-law Mamie and Ivan Stevenson of Fairfax, SD. Sisters-in-law Betty (Art) Carlson of Spencer, NE and Mary (Duane) Hammon of Great Bend, KS, brother-in-law Alan Pirner of Wagner, SD.

A special thank you to the staff at Bethany on University, Willow Lane 2 for their kindness, compassion and tender loving care they exhibited every day to Joyce. Also, a very heartfelt thank you to Ethos Hospice in the last days of Joyce’s journey on earth.

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