Joyce Jordanger

Joyce Jordanger, 87, of Kanawha passed away Friday, July 26, 2013 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.  Joyce had been a resident of the IOOF Home in Mason City since August of 2011, where she battled with Alzheimers.

Funeral services for Joyce Jordanger will be held on Monday, July 29, 2013 at 10:30 AM at the Kanawha Lutheran Church, 124 West 4th Street, in Kanawha with Pastor Char White and Pastor Geoffrey White officiating.  Burial will be at Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha.

Visitation will be on Sunday, July 28, 2013 from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East 2nd Street, in Kanawha and will continue one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.

Joyce Lenore (Helvick) Jordanger was born March 7, 1926 to Peter and Josephine (Michaelson) Helvick in Hardy, Iowa.  Joyce graduated from Humboldt High School.  After graduation, she went to college and graduated with a teaching certificate from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.  Her teaching career led her to Kanawha where she met the love of her life, Duane Jordanger.

Joyce was united in marriage to Duane on May 23, 1952 in Hardy, Iowa and to this union, two children were born: Cynthia Kae and Randall Lee.  Together they raised their children on the family farm near Kanawha.

Joyce was an excellent seamstress.  Her biggest joy was designing, sewing, and hand quilting beautiful quilts for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage, mastering the art of making Kringla, potato cakes and meatballs.

Joyce and Duane loved bowling, playing cards, dancing, entertaining, reading, and church activities and functions at Kanawha Lutheran.  Family Christmas celebrations were always a highlight of the year.  As Joyce would say “we had a wonderful life.”

Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter Cynthia (Denny) Mathiason of Armstrong, Iowa and her son Randall (Phyllis) Jordanger of Kanawha, Iowa; grandchildren Nicole (Rodney) Hintz and their children Connor and Jaci, of Richfield, Minnesota, Scott (Hayley) Mathiason and sons Duncan and Hudson of Hinton, Iowa, Erin Jordanger of Waterloo, Iowa, Amanda (Nathan) Krumrei and son Trevan of Marion, Iowa; sisters Gloria (Marlo) Westaby of Alexander, Iowa, Diane (Wayne) Lehman of Badger; brother Jim Helvick of Humboldt, Iowa and sister-in-law Neva Helvick of Humboldt, Iowa; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband Duane in 1997, her parents Peter and Josephine Helvick, her brothers Malcolm and Clayton Helvick and sister-in-law Benita Helvick.