Joyce L. Ohr, 94

Joyce LaVonne (Evans) Ohr, 94, of Rochester, Minnesota passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at the Homestead at Rochester.

Joyce was born December 5, 1925 to Claude and Alta (Churchill) Evans in Austin, MN. She graduated from Austin High School in 1943, then went on to attend Winona State College in Winona, MN, where she received a teaching degree.

Joyce began her teaching career in Wanamingo, MN. Wanamingo is also where Joyce met her future husband, Oliver “Ollie” Ohr, whom she married on August 14, 1948.

Joyce’s family and her faith were the center of her life. She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester. Joyce taught elementary school children in several Wisconsin and Minnesota towns, with her last being at Harriet Bishop Elementary in Rochester where she retired from in 1978.

Joyce and Ollie enjoyed traveling together throughout the U.S., as well as abroad. They spent summers at their cabin on the lake in Birchwood in Northern Wisconsin and enjoyed winters in the Panhandle region of Florida. Joyce enjoyed nature, flowers, bird-watching, gardening, knitting, cross stitching, and reading. She also had an interest in genealogy and discovered she was a direct decedent of William Bradford, a passenger aboard the Mayflower 400 years ago in 1620.

Joyce is survived by her son, Stephen (Sandra) Ohr of Chippewa Falls, WI and her daughter, Robin Sloan, of Hollywood, FL; two grandchildren, Olivia Ohr, of Rochester and Jerrad (Tiphanie) Ohr of Pompano Beach, FL; and two great-grandchildren, Jaidyn Ohr and Jerrad “Buddy” Ohr of Rochester. Joyce is preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of over 63 years, Oliver, in 2011; and one sister, Wanda Woodman.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, August 7, 2020 at Bethel Lutheran Church (810 3rd Avenue SE Rochester, MN). Visitation will take place from 5 – 7 P.M. on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home and an hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment will take place at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Wanamingo.

Memorials to Bethel Lutheran Church. To leave a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com