"Joyce was a special lady. So warm and kind. She was a strong woman, great faith in God. I was blessed to have known her."
In loving memory of
Joyce LaVonne Ohr
December 5, 1925 - July 28, 2020
Joyce LaVonne (Evans) Ohr, 94, of Rochester, Minnesota passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at the Homestead at Rochester.
Joyce was born December 5, 1925 to Claude and Alta (Churchill) Evans in Austin, MN. She graduated from Austin High School in 1943, then went on to attend Winona State College in Winona, MN, where she received a teaching degree.
Joyce began her teaching career in Wanamingo, MN. Wanamingo is also where Joyce met her future husband, Oliver "Ollie" Ohr, whom she married on August 14, 1948.
Joyce's family and her faith were the center of her life. She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester. Joyce taught elementary school children in several Wisconsin and Minnesota towns, with her last being at Harriet Bishop Elementary in Rochester where she retired from in 1978.
Joyce and Ollie enjoyed traveling together throughout the U.S., as well as abroad. They spent summers at their cabin on the lake in Birchwood in Northern Wisconsin and enjoyed winters in the Panhandle region of Florida. Joyce enjoyed nature, flowers, bird-watching, gardening, knitting, cross stitching, and reading. She also had an interest in genealogy and discovered she was a direct decedent of William Bradford, a passenger aboard the Mayflower 400 years ago in 1620.
Joyce is survived by her son, Stephen (Sandra) Ohr of Chippewa Falls, WI and her daughter, Robin Sloan, of Hollywood, FL; two grandchildren, Olivia Ohr, of Rochester and Jerrad (Tiphanie) Ohr of Pompano Beach, FL; and two great-grandchildren, Jaidyn Ohr and Jerrad "Buddy" Ohr of Rochester. Joyce is preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of over 63 years, Oliver, in 2011; and one sister, Wanda Woodman.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, August 7, 2020 at Bethel Lutheran Church (810 3rd Avenue SE Rochester, MN). Visitation will take place from 5 - 7 P.M. on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home and an hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment will take place at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Wanamingo.
Memorials to Bethel Lutheran Church. To leave a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com
Tributes
"I am writing this from Gold Canyon, Arizona where I have been living since 1986. I believe it was fourth grade that I had Mrs. Ohr as my teacher. She was always very positive and a great teacher. Thank you for enriching my education and life and others through the years. To family and friends my thoughts and prayers are with you. Mrs. Ohr thank you for being a part of my developmental years as a child. Scott Kramer (scottkramerhr@yahoo.com) "
"Our sympathies to you All! I will miss having Joyce in my life- I enjoyed corresponding with her. She always showed genuine interest in our lives, and was encouraging. I appreciate how she was an active learner/reader throughout her years, and she remained delighted in observing nature~ ?"
"I'm so sorry for your lost! Mrs. Ohr was one of my teachers at Harriet Bishop school, a long time ago. I remember her being a great teacher And a wonderful woman. So sorry for your loss! Susan Larsen"
"To Joyce Ohr Family, Our thoughts and prayers are with you Steve and Robin and your families. We have so many happy memories of Joyce and Ollie. Verda has many great memories of teaching with Joyce at Harriet Bishop School. She was a great teacher and her students loved Mrs. Ohr very much. We also had many fun times doing things together and going different places. Joyce and Ollie were very committed Christians and they lived their faith in being kind and having compassion for all people. We will miss our visits to see Joyce when we got to Rochester. Many the many happy memories of your mother, grandmother, and great grandmother bring joy and comfort to all of you. God's peace and comfort! Our love, Reuben & Verda "
"She was and will always be "Grandma" to my family. The most sweetest, kindest soul ever. Have fun with Grandpa now.....:) Love and will forever miss you,:( Love Always, Sherry, Makayla and Vince"