Joyce Thraen

August 13, 1941 - July 20, 2020

Joyce Maxine Thraen, daughter of William and Loretta (Woerdehoff) Koster, was born August 13, 1941 in Breda, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Armstrong, Iowa. She attended grade school in Dolliver, Iowa and graduated from Harlan High School in Harlan, Iowa with the class of 1959. On November 26, 1960, Joyce was united in marriage to Marvin Thraen at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan. She worked at the Harlan newspaper prior to being married and after and also worked at White Star Café. After her five children were born, Joyce stayed at home to raise their kids and help Marvin on the farm. In the 1980's she went to work at CDS for over 20 years, retiring in 2006. After retirement, she worked part time at Touch of Class Dry Cleaning. Joyce enjoyed working in her flower gardens, baking, sewing, cross stitching and puzzles. She volunteered at St. Michael’s helping with the guild activities. She always put her family above her own needs. She loved to watch her children and grandchildren’s school activities, especially sporting events. She was a loving wife, mom and grandmother. Joyce died on Monday, July 20, 2020 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, attaining the age of seventy-eight years, eleven months and seven days. In addition to her parents, she was proceeded in death by the brother Robert Koster, sister-in-law Emelie Koster, brothers-in-law Charlie Leuck, Howard Thraen, and Roy Goraczkowski, and daughter-in-law Sonja Thraen. She is survived by her husband of 59 years Marvin Thraen of Harlan, Iowa; children Pamela (William) Clark; Michael (Laura) Thraen; Denise (Scott) Lickteig; James (Ella Malone) Thraen; Patty (Brent) Branning; grandchildren, Robert and David Clark, Maxine and Henry Lickteig, Joseph and Jacob Thraen, Sarah and Ryan Branning; siblings Madonna Goraczkowski of Omaha, Nebraska; Yvonne (Sylvan) Klein of Harlan; Betty Leuck of Harlan; Kenneth (Judy) Koster of Reddington Beach, Florida; Dean (Kathy) Koster of Harlan; in-laws Carole Thraen of Harlan; Kenneth (Donna) Thraen of Henderson, Nevada; Gary (Julie) Thraen of Harlan; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.