Joyce E. (Tabor) Eickhoff

Joyce E. Eickhoff, age 98, of Glenwood, died Sunday, January 30, 2022, at Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck. A memorial service for Joyce will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 5th, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Glenwood with Pastor Mark Kahrs officiating. Visitation will be at the church, one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Joyce Evelyn Taber was born to Earl and Marion (Winslow) Tabor on July 8, 1923 at Spring Valley, MN. She grew up with her older sister, Elva and older brother, Vincent, on the family farm in rural Spring Valley. As a girl, Joyce enjoyed horseback riding and many of her favorite childhood memories were of time spent with her horse, Owen. Joyce attended public school in nearby Chatfield, where she graduated high school in May of 1941. After high school she attended Kahler School of Nursing for two years.

On December 20, 1945, Joyce was united in marriage to her high school classmate, Luverne Henry Eickhoff. To their union three children were born, John, Diane, and Bob. For the first ten years of the marriage, Joyce and Luverne made their home on a farm in Olmstead County. In 1955, the family moved to Babbitt on Minnesota’s Iron Range, where Luverne worked for Reserve Mining and Joyce worked at the hospital in Ely. In 1968, Luverne accepted a position as director of plant services at Glenwood Retirement Home and the family made their final move to Glenwood. Joyce worked as a surgical nurse at Glenwood Hospital (now Glacial Ridge Hospital) until her retirement.

Joyce became an avid quilter in the years following her retirement. She enjoyed having a hobby to keep her busy and being able to bless her family and others with her handiwork. In the early years of her life, Joyce’s mother was chronically ill which led to Joyce being cared for by extended family and friends. That experience gave her a deep appreciation for all kindness shown to her and taught her not to take things for granted, especially time with family.

Joyce was a longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Glenwood where she participated in Ladies’ Circle, Ladies’ Aid and Sunday school. Her faith was very important to her and she reflected the love of Christ in her daily walk here on earth.

After selling her home in Glenwood, Joyce moved to Glenwood Estates, where she made many friends. In the fall of 2021, at the age of 98, she moved to the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck where she could get needed care. It was there that Joyce passed away, peacefully, on the evening of Sunday, January 30, 2022.

Joyce is survived by her three children, John (Bonnie) Eickhoff of Babbitt, Diane (Al) Stewart of Milbank, SD, and Bob (Kathy) Eickhoff of Cold Spring; six grandchildren, Brian (Laura) Eickhoff of Dillon, CO, Kristin Eickhoff of Silverthorne, CO, Abigail (Jon) Salmon of Monticello, Adam Stewart of Brookings, SD, Matthew (Lori) Eickhoff of Rockford, IL and Madeline (Brett Pawlak) Eickhoff of Encino, CA; great-grandchildren: Andrew, Owen and Hannah Salmon, Nolan Eickhoff and Maggie Durecki, along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Luverne in 1998; one great-grandchild; her sister, Elva (and husband, Everett) Horsman; and her brother, Vincent (and wife, Caroline) Eickhoff.

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