IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Joyce Edith
Schlack
July 27, 1924 – September 23, 2015
Obituary
Joyce Schlack, loved this life, but looked forward to the next with faith, hope and joyful anticipation. She entered into that new life, at 91, reuniting with her beloved Richard, on September 23, 2015. Joyce was born July 27, 1924 to Mattie and Leonard Walters, in Bruce, South Dakota, the fourth of six children. In childhood, Joyce was the instigator of fun and games and mischief. In high school she was class clown. During WWII - pipefitter's helper in the shipyards off Long Beach California. In college - quarterback for the football team. On the first day of school as second grade teacher in Clear Lake SD, in the fall of 1946, Joyce met Richard Schlack. Joyce was just one among eleven women teachers and Richard the only man. On June 10, 1947, they married. In 1948 the first of five children was born. And in1952, upon Richard's ordination into the Lutheran ministry, Joyce became pastor's wife and supported Richard in that role for the next 41 years serving congregations in South Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico. The life Joyce lived was truly unique and touched so many other lives. All who knew her felt blessed and she left us with some beautiful life lessons.
•Love God with all your heart and mind and spirit. Believe in Christ. Tell others. Marry someone who feels the same way.
•Make people think "The Lord's Been Good to Me" is your theme song.
•Pray out loud before every meal. Pray for every member of your family. Pray for your neighbors. Pray even, for politicians.
•Love God with all your heart and mind and spirit. Believe in Christ. Tell others. Marry someone who feels the same way.
•Make people think "The Lord's Been Good to Me" is your theme song.
•Pray out loud before every meal. Pray for every member of your family. Pray for your neighbors. Pray even, for politicians.
•Call your mother on a regular basis. Take her in when she needs you. Stay close with your brothers and sisters and let them become your very best friends. Never give up on your kids.
•Write a card or letter to someone special every day. Include seed packets, stickers and Bible verses.
•Whatever your work, be amazing at it and unforgettable. Whatever your heritage, celebrate it. And if you're lucky enough to be Norwegian, flaunt it.
•Visit nursing homes as often as you can. Visit the widow lady down the street and any and all shut-ins.
•Make friends wherever you go. Be a friend to the friendless. Sit by the person at lunch that no one else wants to sit by. •Tell the un-smiling people you meet, some jokes.
•Always talk to strangers. Learn their names. Listen to their stories. Only tell stories of your life that will make them laugh.
•Thank the people who do thankless jobs. Keep a little candy on hand for them.
•Always set a nice table with tablecloth, candles, flowers and cloth napkins. Invite the refugee family for Thanksgiving dinner. Bake bread from scratch. Send loaves as Christmas presents.
•Conserve water. Use the clothesline.
•Listen to the music you love and dance to it. Never stop reading poetry and reciting it.
•Savor vegetables from the garden. Savor popcorn and ice cream.
•Do not keep treasured family photos in frames or albums. Keep them on the kitchen table, readily at your fingertips, for sharing.
•Teach others the Books of the Bible and "How Do You Get a Double Petunia." Teach them how to stamp robins, how to play croquet, Fox and Geese and Run Sheep Run. Teach jacks and card games and Mexican Train.
•Don't spend your whole long life in one place. Don't sleep in the car when you travel and miss out on all that scenery.
•Daily thank God for his beautiful creation. For sunrise, sunset, summer clouds, winter snowfall. Get up in the middle of the night just to look at the moon. Stay amazed. Stay astonished.
•Keep the loved ones who have died before you, ever in your heart. And remember always, The Best is Yet to Come. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
Joyce was dearly loved and will be forever fondly remembered by her children -Ann and John Graham and Alan Schlack , Red Lodge, MT; Julene Schlack and George Draffan, Seattle WA; David and Debbie Schlack, Santa Rosa, CA and Kris Van Deusen and Mike Whalin, Estes Park, CO. Her grandchildren - Cort Felts, Kimberly Hittle, Cole and Stacy Schlack, Dustin Schlack, Hunter Graham and Mattie Van Deusen. Her great-grandchildren - Madeline Felts, Bo and Braden Hittle, and Hunter, Kaylee, Boston and Quincy Schlack. Her sister, Shirley (Paul) Jacobs, Freeport, IL; sisters in law, Norma Walters, Clovis, NM; and Hazel Bertsch, Menno, SD; and a host of nieces, nephews relatives and friends.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life is planned for 11:00 am, Friday, June 10, 2016 at South Canyon Lutheran Church in Rapid City, SD with Rev. Bruce Thalacker officiating.
Inurnment will take place at 2:30 pm on Friday at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
•Write a card or letter to someone special every day. Include seed packets, stickers and Bible verses.
•Whatever your work, be amazing at it and unforgettable. Whatever your heritage, celebrate it. And if you're lucky enough to be Norwegian, flaunt it.
•Visit nursing homes as often as you can. Visit the widow lady down the street and any and all shut-ins.
•Make friends wherever you go. Be a friend to the friendless. Sit by the person at lunch that no one else wants to sit by. •Tell the un-smiling people you meet, some jokes.
•Always talk to strangers. Learn their names. Listen to their stories. Only tell stories of your life that will make them laugh.
•Thank the people who do thankless jobs. Keep a little candy on hand for them.
•Always set a nice table with tablecloth, candles, flowers and cloth napkins. Invite the refugee family for Thanksgiving dinner. Bake bread from scratch. Send loaves as Christmas presents.
•Conserve water. Use the clothesline.
•Listen to the music you love and dance to it. Never stop reading poetry and reciting it.
•Savor vegetables from the garden. Savor popcorn and ice cream.
•Do not keep treasured family photos in frames or albums. Keep them on the kitchen table, readily at your fingertips, for sharing.
•Teach others the Books of the Bible and "How Do You Get a Double Petunia." Teach them how to stamp robins, how to play croquet, Fox and Geese and Run Sheep Run. Teach jacks and card games and Mexican Train.
•Don't spend your whole long life in one place. Don't sleep in the car when you travel and miss out on all that scenery.
•Daily thank God for his beautiful creation. For sunrise, sunset, summer clouds, winter snowfall. Get up in the middle of the night just to look at the moon. Stay amazed. Stay astonished.
•Keep the loved ones who have died before you, ever in your heart. And remember always, The Best is Yet to Come. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
Joyce was dearly loved and will be forever fondly remembered by her children -Ann and John Graham and Alan Schlack , Red Lodge, MT; Julene Schlack and George Draffan, Seattle WA; David and Debbie Schlack, Santa Rosa, CA and Kris Van Deusen and Mike Whalin, Estes Park, CO. Her grandchildren - Cort Felts, Kimberly Hittle, Cole and Stacy Schlack, Dustin Schlack, Hunter Graham and Mattie Van Deusen. Her great-grandchildren - Madeline Felts, Bo and Braden Hittle, and Hunter, Kaylee, Boston and Quincy Schlack. Her sister, Shirley (Paul) Jacobs, Freeport, IL; sisters in law, Norma Walters, Clovis, NM; and Hazel Bertsch, Menno, SD; and a host of nieces, nephews relatives and friends.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life is planned for 11:00 am, Friday, June 10, 2016 at South Canyon Lutheran Church in Rapid City, SD with Rev. Bruce Thalacker officiating.
Inurnment will take place at 2:30 pm on Friday at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joyce Edith Schlack, please visit our flower store.
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