Joyce Marie (Meisner) Magnuson, age 79, of Austin, Colo., and formerly of Spring Valley, Minn., died Sunday, February 11, 2024, at HopeWest Hospice, Grand Junction, Colo.
Joyce was born April 20, 1944, in Wykoff, Minn., the daughter of Ewald and Hulda (Horstman) Meisner. Joyce graduated from Wykoff High School in 1962, attended Dental Assistant School in the Twin Cities and then moved there. Joyce met Joel Magnuson when she worked at General Mills. They were married on July 24, 1971, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff. They had two children.
Joyce and Joel lived in the Cochrane/Rogers, Minn., area for about 10 years, then bought a farm near Spring Valley, Minn., where they lived another 10 years before moving to Austin, Colo., to be closer to their son John, where they lived for 25 years.
Joyce loved baking and crafting as well as canning fruits and vegetables. She regularly shared her baked goods with employees of the Ace Hardware Store – where Joel worked part-time in his retirement years, and also at annual craft and bake sales at their church. Joyce was also a Master Gardener and enjoyed living near the mountains and gleaning from the orchards of the area. She and her husband also hosted large family gatherings in their home over the years.
Joyce is survived by her husband Joel, of Austin, Colo., her son John (Chris) of Grand Junction, Colo.; grandchildren Stephanie Beatty (Zack) of Grand Junction, Colo., and Thomas of Phoenix, Ariz.; great-grandchildren Bradyn Magnuson, Kayleigh Beatty, Joshua Beatty, Maddox Beatty, and Aisling Beatty; brother-in-law Myron Nash of Coon Rapids, Minn.; sisters Diane Campeau of Blaine, Minn., and Lois (Bob) Neis of Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; and brother Dennis (Jane) Meisner of Wykoff, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings David Meisner and Thelma (Meisner) Nash, and her stillborn son, Jason Magnuson.
There was a quiet strength and generosity about Joyce that will always be cherished and remembered. Joyce requested that her ashes be spread in the mountains she loved. No service is being held at this time. A date is yet to be determined for the service for the spreading of ashes.
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