Joyce Eileen Pierson

Joyce Eileen (Melson) Pierson, 92, of Saint James died peacefully June 17, 2024, at Lakeview Healthcare Center in Fairmont, surrounded by family.

Funeral service will be held Saturday, Jun 22, 2024, at 2:00 pm, at Augustana Lutheran Church in Saint James with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Mount Hope cemetery in Saint James. Livestreaming will be available at the Augustana Lutheran Church Facebook page. The family prefers memorials be given to the Curing Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation.

Joyce was born as one of twins to Carl and Esther Melson on September 26, 1931, in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at Kansas Lake Lutheran Church. She grew up on a farm in rural Butterfield, Minnesota and attended grade school at District 24 and 31 in rural Butterfield. She graduated from Butterfield High School in 1949. After high school, Joyce worked at the State Hospital in Hastings, Minnesota for a year and then at the Federal Reserve bank in Minneapolis for two years.

Joyce was united in marriage to Roger L. Pierson at Kansas Lake Lutheran church on October 3, 1953. They lived and worked in Minneapolis for a short time before moving back to Saint James to start farming. They rented a farm south of town for several years, then in 1964, they purchased a farm east of town and crop farmed beans and corn and raised dairy cows and hogs.  They retired and moved to Saint James in 1991 due to Roger’s ill health.

Joyce enjoyed living and working on the farm with Roger, mowing, driving tractor and milking cows.

She grew a large vegetable garden each year and had a beautiful flower garden as well.  She was very active at Augustana Lutheran Church in Ladies Aid, LCW, Martha circle, Sewing circle and the funeral committee.  She served Meals on Wheels for many years in Saint James.  She truly enjoyed helping people. She was an active member of the Jolly Homemakers, as well as the VFW and Legion auxiliaries and in later years was a member of the Red Hat Ladies in Saint James, (The Red Hat Saints!!)

Joyce was a wonderful cook, her specialties being, roast beef dinner, chocolate chip cookies, spaghetti hotdish and potato salad. She also canned many of her vegetables. She was known for her enjoyment of coffee, soup with ½ sandwich, cookies and pie with ice cream!!

Joyce enjoyed traveling, spending winters first in Texas, then in Arizona with Roger and continued her winters in Arizona after his passing. She liked to read, play cards and games and watch movies.  She enjoyed old time music and traditional country music.

Her greatest joy, however, was her family… spending as much time with them as she could.  She helped take care of her grandkids as often as she could and was so proud of all of them.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Roger in 1992; her daughter, Connie Fellows in 2021; her parents, Carl and Esther Melson; her in-laws, Anton and Helen Pierson; granddaughter, Samantha Pierson; grandson, Ryan and his wife, Michelle Mabry; twin brother, Jerome Melson; sisters-in-law, Bernie Syverson, Charlotte Heckman, Viola and Ida Pierson; and brothers-in-law, Dwayne Johnson, Donald Pierson, Leonard Pierson, Larry Pierson and Lloyd Heckman.

Joyce is survived by her son, Roger Pierson, Jr (Vicki - partner) of New Ulm; son-in-law, Michael Fellows of Tenstrike, Minnesota; daughter, Cathy (Rob) Mabry of Mesa, Arizona; sister, June Johnson of Rochester; brother, Roger Syverson of Mesa, Arizona; sisters-in-law, Gail Melson of Butterfield, Evey Pierson of New Ulm; brother-in-law, Wayne (Connie) Pierson of St James; ten grandchildren, Roger (Amy) Pierson, Matthew (Alex) Pierson, Tony Pierson, Ben (Becky) Fellows, Katie Fellows, Allison (Aaron) Dufseth, Lisa (Michael) Kiewatt, Holly Shimanski, Darren (Carleen) Shimanski and Danielle (Jim) Creason;  eleven great grandkids,  Connor Pierson, Ayris and Theron Fellows, Maci and Tanner Dufseth, Ryleigh Mabry, Jordan Creason and Kinley, Avery, Attley and Isley Shimanski; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.