Joyce Ondris, age 85, of Custer, and formerly of Bancroft, passed away April 18, 2020, at Custer.

Graveside services for Joyce will be at 10:00 AM, Sunday, June 28, 2020 , at the LeSueur Cemetery at Bancroft.

Joyce Warkenthien was born June 26, 1934, near Willow Lake, to Clarence and Caroline (Osman) Warkenthien. She was raised on a farm there and graduated from Willow Lake High School. She rode her Palomino horse to country school until graduating from high school.

After graduation she met and married Donald Cooper. They lived in Huron, where their two sons were born, Randall and Rodney Cooper. Donald subsequently killed himself in 1956. Joyce was a very accomplished seamstress. Randall and Rodney didn't wear store bought shirts until they left home. She sewed pearl snaps for Randall, even 10 years after he graduated from high school.

Joyce later married Edward Mills and they lived in Iroquois until about 1971, where she raised her sons. Joyce had a half-acre vegetable garden. She grew and canned all summer, then canned chickens and beef in the fall.

She then moved to Kingman, Arizona, where she started a new career selling Watkins Products, over the next 20 years she won numerous awards from this career. She sent over 120 Christmas cards a year and never forgot her nieces and nephews for over 30 years.

She was also married to Bill Ondris.

In 1989, Joyce returned to her South Dakota roots moving to Bancroft. She called Bancroft home, for many years, until recently moving to Custer to be near her son, Randall. While in Bancroft, Joyce was a 25+ year member of the Little Presbyterian Church, and was active with the Ladies Aide, helping with bake sales and other church functions. She loved her gardening, flowers and plants forever. She was also referred to as the "Cat Lady."

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Claire Warkenthien; and one son, Rodney, A. Cooper.

She is survived by one son, Randall Cooper and his wife, Kendyl of Pringle, South Dakota.

Joyce will be greatly missed.