Joy Walter

Services for Joy Madora (Simon) Walter, 82, of Groton will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 1st at the United Methodist Church, Groton. Rev. Matt Richards will officiate. Burial will follow in Groton Union Cemetery under the direction of Paetznick-Garness Funeral Chapel, Groton.

Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m.

Joy passed away Sunday, November 28, 2010 at Golden Living Center, Groton due to complications from pancreatic cancer.

Joy Madora Simon was born at home on the ranch five miles east of Zeona, South Dakota on August 31, 1928. She was the fifth child and only daughter of Arthur James (A.J.) and Martha (Mae) Madora (Sampson) Simon. A.J. always remarked that they were so filled with joy to finally have a girl that they chose that for her name.

She grew up on the ranch and attended rural school through her freshman year of high school, took correspondence school her sophomore year, and finished her last two years in Bison, South Dakota. She also worked at the Bison Food Store until she earned enough money to attend college at Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, SD, where she took the secretarial course. After finishing school, she worked as a secretary for the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company in Aberdeen. She married Donald Walter on her twenty-fourth birthday on August 31, 1952 in Groton. They lived about four miles northeast of Groton and farmed in partnership with R.A. Richards for many years, eventually becoming sole owners. Joy was a true farm wife, helping with the harvest, truck driving, and whatever else needed doing. She also did secretarial work for the Methodist Church in Groton. Don and Joy had two children, Allen and Donna, born in 1953 and 1954. Over the years they had many happy times bowling, snowmobiling, and golfing. After retiring from the farm in 1991 and moving into town in Groton, Don and Joy spent many winters in Mesa, Arizona, enjoying the warm weather and friends. They also enjoyed traveling with their close friends Rob and Lois Clemenson.

Joy was a loving wife and mother. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed sewing and all kinds of needlework. She also liked playing cards, reading, working in the garden, home decorating, wheat weaving, and bird watching. She was member of the United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women, and PEO.

Survivors include her husband, Don; one son, Allen, Groton, and his wife Joyce; one daughter Donna Marshall, Sturgis, SD; and three granddaughters, Michelle Walter, Shoreview, MN, Jessica Marshall, Makawao, HI, and Holly Walter, Minneapolis, MN.

Joy was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Henry Forrest Reed Simon, Edgar Dale Simon, Marion Lee Simon, and Glen Arthur Simon; and one half-sister Leora Veryl (Simon) Hellwig.

Casketbearers will be Roger Rix, Jeff Howard, Marc Johnson, Bob Walter, Mark Hanson and Dennis Larson.

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