EXIRA, Iowa—Funeral arrangements have been set for Joan Lorraine Noelck, daughter of Otto and Hazel (Dammann) Duede, was born May 27, 1927, in Audubon County and entered her heavenly home on June 11, 2021, at the Exira Care Center at the age of 94 years and 15 days.
Joan was baptized at First Presbyterian Church in Manning and confirmed in 1948 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lincoln Township. She attended rural schools and graduated from Audubon High School in 1944. Normal School Training prepared her for teaching in rural schools Cameron #2, #5, and #7.
On August 8, 1948, she and Walter Noelck were united in marriage at Trinity Lutheran Church. They lived in Ross and were blessed with nine children. Joan and Walt’s life revolved around family. They taught life skills and values by example, patience, and encouragement. Traveling with their children, they instilled an appreciation of the beauty and history of the country. In their later years, they enjoyed traveling and attending family events. Joan’s creativity was exhibited in cake decorating, crafting, and sewing. Being an excellent seamstress, she created her wedding dress from a silk parachute that Walter had brought home from the war and her daughters’ wedding dresses. Joan was adept at preserving produce from Walt’s garden. She enjoyed cooking, and always made sure that no one “went away hungry”. These skills were also taught throughout her years as a 4-H leader. She was a proponent for “reuse, recycle, recreate” long before it became a slogan.
Joan was a member of Trinity, St. John’s, and Zion Lutheran Churches. She taught Sunday school, directed Christmas programs, and participated in LWML. In 1980, she returned to teaching as a class aide, then teacher and director at St. John’s Preschool, working there 15 years.
Preceding her in death was husband, Walter; infant son John; grand-daughter-in-law Mandy Noelck; parents; brothers: Paul Duede, Charles Duede, Russell (Brenda) Duede, and Dean (Sandra) Duede, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Midge Duede, Emil (Inger Marie) Noelck, Elmer (Inez) Noelck, Melvin (Alice) Noelck, and Bill (Florence) Noelck
Survivors include children Mary (Don) Mulfinger of Burnsville, Minnesota, David (Susan) Noelck of Sussex, Wisconsin, Paul (Candace) Noelck of Boone, Iowa, Wayne (Beverly) Noelck of Hawarden, Iowa, Alan (Carol) Noelck of Avondale, Arizona, Ruth (Timothy) Obermeier of Spencer, Iowa, Carolyn Miller of Overland Park, Kansas, and James (Nicole) Noelck of Johnston, Iowa; 24 grandchildren: Jeffrey (Clea Dezio) Mulfinger, Michael (Sarah) Mulfinger, Amanda (Christopher) Mulfinger, William (Laura) Noelck, Daniel Noelck, Adam (Katie) Noelck, Jessica Noelck, Jason (Chantalle) Noelck, Abby Noelck, Rebekah (Jason) Fischer, Amy Noelck, Kara (Joshua) Sherriffs, North (Michelle) Noelck, Sterling (Casey) Noelck, Forrest (Patti) Noelck, Katrina (Michael) Phelan, Bryan Obermeier, Connor Obermeier, Tara Obermeier, George Miller, Rachel Miller, Taylor Noelck, Molly Noelck, and Isaac Noelck; 20 great grandchildren: Ben and Will; Marcus; Campbell Mulfinger; Nathan and Lucas Stingl-Noelck; Otto and Marjorie; Carter and Holden; Hazel, Beckett, and Greta; Alistair and Iola; Finnegan Noelck; Noah and Isobel Obermeier; Aurora and Caelum Phelan; brothers and sister: Carl Duede of Venice, Florida, Florence (Jerry) Scott of Papillion, Nebraska and Mark (Beth) Duede of Santa Rosa, California; sister-in-law, Ruth Noelck of Hampton, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Jonathan Conner on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Manning, Iowa. Interment will be in the Lincoln Township Cemetery in rural Audubon County. The honorary casket bearers will be: Dan and Kelly Mennenoh, Bob and Janet Nelson, Lee & Norma Nielsen, Gene and Linda Mennenoh, Aaron Jorgensen, Gary and Betty Wegner, Ron and Mavis Lebeck, Tom & Marilynn Dittsworth, and Nancy Poore. The casket bearers will be her children: Mary Mulfinger, David Noelck, Paul Noelck, Wayne Noelck, Alan Noelck, Ruth Obermeier, Carolyn Miller, and James Noelck. The family will meet with friends on Monday evening June 21, 2021, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. The family suggests memorials to American Parkinson Disease Association, Trinity Church, Orphan Grain Train, Zion Lutheran Preschool.
Joan’s funeral service will be livestreamed on KESSLER FUNERAL HOMES INC. Facebook page. To get there, log into your Facebook account (you will need one to view the service), search for and navigate to the KESSLER FUNERAL HOMES INC. Facebook page, and at the time the service goes live, it will populate in the timeline. You may also scroll to the bottom of our homepage at www.kesslerfuneralhomes.com page and click the Facebook logo to be taken directly to our page. If you experience difficulties viewing the broadcast at the time of the service, the recording will remain on our Facebook page for additional viewing opportunities.
Joan Noelck, 94, Exira, Iowa and formerly of Ross, Iowa
