Joyce LaRae Martin

Joyce LaRae (Johnson) Martin arrived in this world on Christmas Day, 1935, a personal blessing to Edgar and Bertha Johnson who were living in Hoffman, MN at the time. Soon after her arrival, the family relocated to a farm situated on the outskirts of Garfield, MN. Life on the farm was challenging, and Joyce would frequently recall stories of helping by tending to the chickens and goats as well as learning to cook at a young age so her mom could work outside. 

Joyce left home at an early age, moving to Alexandria where she worked at Osterberg’s Cafe to cover rent while completing high school. Many of the friendships from those early years lasted through her lifetime. Osterberg’s also played the role of match maker in her life the day Sam Martin walked into the diner and sat down at one of her tables. Married in November, 1957, the couple relocated to Moorhead where Sam completed his accounting degree at Moorhead State. It was during this time they welcomed their first child, Lonnie. 

Joyce became deathly afraid of bad weather after surviving a tornado trying to protect Lonnie alone in a small mobile home. Shortly after graduating, Sam was hired by Federated Insurance in Owatonna, though, his first assignment was in Missouri. The small family did not remain there long; once an assignment opened in Owatonna, they moved again, this time to Medford, MN. Finally, in 1965, an assignment to a territory covering Alexandria, opened and they moved to their final homestead, a small “hobby” farm with a Farwell address. In early 1966, the couple welcomed their second child, Karen. Joyce settled into life on this new “farm” where she nurtured her children, grew large gardens, raised chickens, canned, baked and even grew grapes to make jelly. 

Country life also lent itself to learning how to refinish antique furniture, design and sew unique clothing items and decorate custom cakes for friends and family. In the summers, Joyce would travel the county fair circuit with Sam and Lonnie, setting up a large tent-style eatery for fair-goers and workers. Every fall she would spend countless hours making seasonal crafts for the church bazaar. Joyce participated in many church activities, including ladies’ circle, being a Sunday School teacher, and preparing countless casseroles and baked goods for dinners and fundraisers. 

After losing Sam in 2008, life slowed down considerably and Joyce left behind their cozy homestead, moving to an assisted living in Sauk Rapids in 2012. A final move in 2022 took her Kimball, MN, where she was able to live in the same facility as Lonnie, who was her advocate and companion until she passed. Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, Edgar and Bertha (Mensinger) Johnson, siblings LeRoy Johnson and Charlotte (Granlund) Ludwig, and is survived by her brother Robert Johnson (Alexandria), children Lonnie Martin (Kimball) and Karen LaRae (Martin) Ross of Sauk Rapids, and grandchildren Shawn Martin, Bryan Ross, Brianna (Ross) Mohs, and Kalie (Ross) Schirmers.

Family and friends are invited to honor her memory during the visitation on November 2, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, followed by a memorial service at 4:00 PM, both to be held at Anderson Funeral Home, located at 659 Voyager Drive NW, Alexandria, MN 56308.

As we celebrate Joyce's life, we are reminded of the moments she shared and the countless ways she enriched our lives. Her spirit will continue to shine through the reminiscences and stories that we hold dear.