Obit: Kemp, Joyce A. (1943 – 2021)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kemp, Loucks, Olsen, Taylor, Sybers, Park, Shell, Downey, Ward

Kemp, Joyce A. (11 Feb 1943 – 13 Jun 2021)

Joyce A. Kemp, age 78, a resident of Siren, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, June 13, 2021, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn.

Joyce was born on February 11, 1943, in Abbotsford to Norman and Evelyn Olsen.

On March 14, 1959, Joyce married Llewellwyn Loucks and together they had five boys: Johnny, Danny, Rod, Jim and Tim. She later married Milton Kemp on September 27, 1973, and together they had a daughter, Stacey and son, Eric.

Joyce was that woman that could do it all and you were not going to tell her otherwise. She was one tough cookie. She worked countless hours, day and night, to support her family.

Her love of being in the kitchen brought delicious meals to not only her family but her customers at the many restaurants she cooked at. She owned/ operated Joyce’s Café in Siren in the 1980’s and her homemade pizza was enjoyed by many. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t whip up but the top request would be her homemade caramels, peanut brittle, poppy seed coffee cake and her giant cinnamon rolls, to name a few.

If she was not cooking, you were sure to find her in her sewing room hemming pants, altering wedding dresses, prom dresses, replacing zippers and patching jeans. She later was able to spend more time knitting, crocheting and quilt making. Christmas time brought homemade wool socks, sweaters and handmade insulated shirts for loved ones.

When she did not want to do any of that, puzzles would take over. She would get her table out and put hours into a puzzle to get it done. That was if her “helpers” had not been on the table looking for attention and knocking puzzle pieces to the floor. She always had a cat, maybe two or three at times, not to mention the strays that she fed daily on her deck. She also tended to the litters of kittens born at Big Mike’s, keeping them warm in the winter months and their bellies full of minnows. They were her babies and she spoiled each and every one of them with treats and sleeping with mom.

She did enjoy gardening, growing watermelon, strawberries, choke cherries, peas, cucumbers and an occasional pumpkin with Karlee Ann. She had beautiful rose bushes and garden areas all around her yard with lots of potted plants on her deck. She enjoyed working in the yard even when she could not get around as good. Let’s not forget the multiple birds she fed, hummingbirds, blue jays and orioles.

Joyce liked the winter season because that meant it was time for snow and snowmen. She had an abundant collection of snowmen that she collected which, for the past several years, remained on display all year.

She was preceded in death by her sons: Johnny and Danny; parents, Norman and Evelyn Olsen; brothers: Robert Olsen and Norman Olsen.

She is survived by daughter, Stacey (Pat) Taylor; sons: Eric (Stacy) Kemp, Rod (Sandy) Loucks, Tim (Sue) Loucks and Jim (Amy) Loucks; grandchildren, Karlee Sybers, Kiera and Cameron Kemp, Katie and Laura Loucks, Amanda Gregory, Tony (Carina) Loucks, Denny Loucks, Regina (Josh) Park and Renee Loucks; three greatgrandchildren; her sisters: Delores Shell and Audrey (Cliff) Downey; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A funeral service was held on Thursday, June 17, 2021, at 3 p.m. (visitation 1-3 p.m.) at Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Webster. Pastor Steve Ward presided. Interment followed at Lakeview/ Mudhen Lake Cemetery in Daniels Township. Casket bearers were Chris Sybers, Rod Loucks, Tim Loucks, Trent Olsen, Scott Downey and Greg Downey.

Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Webster. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com.