Joyce Loreen Leverson was born April 4, 1931, to Hazel (Olson) and F. Gordon Leverson at the Mountain Lake Hospital in Mt. Lake, MN. After her birth, the medical staff discovered that she was hemorrhaging from an unknown cause. In one of the first of its kind procedures, her father, Gordon, donated blood directly into Joyce’s system to save the baby girl’s life. Joyce was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a teen at Zion Lutheran in Odin. She attended school in Odin and graduated from St. James High School in 1950, attending St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, for one year before marrying Luane Johnson on September 7, 1951, at Zion Lutheran in Odin. Following her marriage to Luane, the couple lived in Fort Hood, Texas, for a short time, while Luane was in the service, before returning to Odin. Joyce and Luane owned and operated Leversons furniture store in Odin, beginning in 1960, after Joyce’s father, Gordon, retired and sold the business to them. Her out-going personality made her a life-long and endearing friend to a wide circle of people. Joyce excelled at decorating many homes for customers and selling furniture, appliances, carpeting and giftware while working with Luane at Leversons.

In 1973 she endured a parent’s worst nightmare when her only daughter Lori was killed in a bicycling accident. Joyce became an example of strength to so many because she truly knew what mattered in life. On February 14, 1998, the love of her life, her husband Luane, passed away after an illness. She handled losing Luane on Valentine’s Day with her usual goodness, grace, and positivity.

During her life, Joyce was an avid community member and world traveler. She was the first woman elected to the Butterfield Odin School Board, where she served for many years, also participating in county and local extension clubs and the ARC program. She hosted many trips and took tours world-wide to places like Israel, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Australia, Turkey, Russia, China, the Panama Canal, Brazil, and others. She enjoyed spending many winters in her home in Mesa, AZ, hosting her snowbird friends and family members who made the trip to see her. She will also be remembered for her cooking and baking talents, kumla and kringla being favorites of many.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, daughter, and husband. She is survived by her sons Greg Johnson and special friend Dr. Shirley Kittleson of Sherburn, MN, and Mike Johnson and his wife Dawn of Odin. She is also survived by two granddaughters and one great-grandson, Codi Johnson and special friend Chance Hanson of Odin, and Hayley Johnson of Sioux Falls, SD, and her special friend Tucker Kerkhove of Brookings, SD. She is survived by her great-grandson, Heston Hanson of Odin, cousins, nieces, nephews, and many friends.

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]