Joyce Kakac

Joyce LaRue Kakac was born on March 6th 1939 to Robert and Vendena (Erickson) Kakac, the third child of ten children.  Growing up and helping on the family farm, she was interested in nature and animals of all kinds.    After graduating from Central High School in Alexandria, Joyce went on to graduate from Alexandria Technical School and received her LPN license.  Employment at Douglas County hospital started her lifelong career in nursing.

While at the hospital Joyce met Arlington Peterson, who would become her partner until his passing in 2010.  The couple moved to Tempe, Arizona where she soon continued her nursing career.  Upon returning to Minnesota, they moved to their own farm outside of Barrett. There were good times on the farm, especially with the horses and carriage.  The farm provided an excellent place to express her love of gardening.  She also revealed her creativity through the Art of painting and woodburning.

Joyce received a scholarship from Lake Region Healthcare to return to school and earned her Associates Degree in nursing.  After graduating from Fergus Falls Community College, she attended Moorhead State completing her Bachelor’s Degree in nursing, achieving her goal of becoming a licensed RN.  Joyce would eventually return to Douglas County hospital where she worked until her retirement in 2008.

The couple built their next home, a log house, at Spring Lake and continued their practice of wood cutting to heat their homes. One more time the couple returned to the Barret farm, completing a total remodel of the farmhouse.  A few years before Arlington passed away, the couple made their last move, building their beautiful home overlooking Lake Mina, outside of Alexandria, where Joyce lived until her passing on May 12, 2022.

Joyce loved her feline companions and talked of them as a mother would her children.  Her care for them went above and beyond the norm.  The birds were always fed and the deer had an adequate supply of corn.  She had a deep concern for the Earth and was involved with many environmental causes.  Joyce was knowledgeable on nutrition and unafraid to share her guidance with family.  She could talk politics and spirituality with the best of them.

Shortly before her death, the close-knit family gathered to feast together, at which time Joyce shared a Native American reading that was especially meaningful to her and spoke of her transition to come.  She knew who she was and was strong in her beliefs.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, her life partner Arlington, her oldest sister Vergene (Stanley Lund) of Evansville and her nephew, Cameron Bolton of Fargo, North Dakota.  She leaves behind her two beloved cats, Ella and Whitey, siblings Arlys of Alexandria, Robert (JoAn) of Highland, Illinois, Arlan (Bonnie) of Horace, North Dakota, Loren of Alexandria, Danny (Julie) of Osakis, Kathy (Ronnie Nelson) of Clitheral, Bruce (Terri) of Alexandria and Patty (Joel Levie) of Evansville, many nieces and nephews, and special friend, Merill Kiehne of Alexandria.  She will be greatly missed.

Funeral Service will be held on Monday, May 16, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at the Anderson Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior to the service.  Burial at Bethesda Cemetery in Barrett.