Joyce Prior

A funeral service for Joyce Prior, age 76, of Wahpeton, will be held at 1 PM, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation will be one hour prior to service time at the funeral home. Interment will be at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery in Okoboji.

In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund has been established in honor of Joyce.

Joyce Prior, age 76, passed away peacefully at her home on March 4, 2025 after a 7 month battle with multiple illnesses. Her husband and family were by her side as she went to the comfort of her Lord and Savior.

Joyce was born on April 6, 1948 to Clarence Wilkinson and Dorothy (Evans) Wilkinson at Tecumseh, Nebraska.

She and her family lived on a farm near Plattsmouth, Nebraska until moving to a farm near Griswold, Iowa in about 1959. She attended school in a one room rural school in Nebraska and then Griswold schools from which she graduated in 1966. Joyce entered Peru State College to be an elementary teacher. She met Harold Prior in 1967 at Peru and they were married December 20, 1969 to begin 55 years of a loving and supportive relationship.

The proudest moment of her life came with the birth of their son Mike on June 16, 1980. She was a terrific mother and wife and was always supportive of her son and husbands’ endeavors. Frequent moves became the norm due to serving in the Air Force, teaching and administrative jobs for Harold that required frequent moves.

Joyce worked in several different jobs during their marriage including for Henry Fields in Shenandoah, Iowa then as a daycare worker at Whiteman Air Force base, an itinerant Special Education Aide for Green Valley AEA in Southwest Iowa. She also worked in a boutique, coffee shop and Christian bookstore in Algona, Iowa.

Joyce was a passionate person. She was an active member of the Methodist Church and was involved with Methodist women’s groups. She loved her family, animals, gardening, traveling, teddy bears and almost all people. Her house was always decorated for each holiday and was kept neat and proper.

Joyce was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy (Evans) Wilkinson and her father, Clarence A. Wilkinson as well as numerous aunts and uncles.

She will be cherished by family and many friends.