Joyce Yvonne (MacKrell) Orwick was born on March 23, 1941, in Spearfish, South Dakota, to George and Viola MacKrell. She was the third of eight children, and from an early age, she embraced life with curiosity, courage, and a love of adventure. A self-proclaimed tomboy, Joyce imagined herself like Huck Finn, rafting down the river—an adventure she would have gladly embarked on even as an adult. There was also a bit of childhood mischief with her younger brother, Tom, and rumors persist to this day about a haystack that once caught fire due to adolescent shenanigans.

Joyce graduated from Vale High School in Vale, S.D., and attended Spearfish Normal College, where she earned her teaching degree. This placed her in the middle of the prairie, at Mud Butte, teaching at a one-room schoolhouse. Joyce stayed with Eddie and Ruth McDermett for her first and only year of teaching. It was at Mud Butte where she met a handsome young cowboy with whom she would share 64 years of marriage. Joyce and Jim had five children and made their home north of Hoover on the Sheridan Ranch, which was owned by Jim's uncles who homesteaded there in 1910. It was here that Joyce spent her days raising kids, chickens, and hired men. Joyce proudly served hundreds of sheep shearers her famous BBQ lamb ribs over the years, an added bonus for the men at the end of a hard day's work. In 2016, Jim and Joyce packed up 54 years of memories and moved into Belle Fourche, and even though Joyce missed the wide-open country, she enjoyed her trips to the public library, coffee with her dear friends, and everyone who would drop by their home for a cup of coffee and a good visit. Joyce had a gift for words and a sharp wit that shone through in her letters, Christmas cards, and published work. She wrote columns for Newell Irrigator and The Tri-State Livestock News and was especially proud to have won an award for her writing from the Wyoming Writers and to have her work featured in a book published by her writing group in Belle Fourche. At Christmastime, she made sure her children each received a copy of that book, a keepsake of her talent and love.

Never one to be discouraged, Joyce faced life's challenges with resilience and optimism. She often reminded her adult children, "You can't just quit livin'', a philosophy she lived by daily. In a true testament to her family, she graciously became Jim's caregiver and advocate when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019. Her servant heart led her to serve her community as a 4-H leader, Master Gardener, organizer of a parents' group, library board member, and an aide at Moreau Elementary.

Joyce was a lifelong learner and never met a hobby she didn't want to try. She painted in acrylics and created beautiful pencil sketches, made blankets for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, gardened, hosted lively gatherings at the ranch, camped, kayaked, birdwatched, and cooked new recipes. She fully enjoyed her time being a member of both the Harding County Book Club and South Dakota Outdoor Women. When life allowed, she loved to travel, visiting many states and always making sure to send postcards of her adventures. She loved history and was eagerly awaiting a PBS special on the American Revolution, which she felt everyone should make sure to watch, and she recently set a goal to count to 30 in Spanish. She was an avid reader who rarely lost a game of Jeopardy, and a great advice giver or a listening ear when life got heavy. She did her best to pass her love of reading onto her children and grandchildren and had a stack of books she was no doubt preparing to send on to her many great-grandchildren for Halloween. There was not a holiday that Joyce didn't make special for her family-she hosted Halloween parties for all the family and neighbors and got the grandkids involved, creating haunted houses for people to go through. Her Christmas tree parties in the Slim Buttes were legendary, and it wasn't uncommon to get one of her famous cards for Valentine's or St. Patrick's Day. She had a gift for finding joy in the ordinary and would write on her calendar nearly daily of the things, large and small, happening in their lives. Her real sanctuary was her backyard, where things were wild and messy and beautiful. Flowers cut from her yard were used to make her casket spray

Joyce converted to the Catholic faith when she and Jim married. In true fashion, she went all-in. Making sure her family was deeply rooted in their faith, they would often say rosaries together on their 40-minute drive to and from mass. Joyce also served on the altar society, taught religious education classes, and taught her own family to trust in the Lord.

Her days were filled with creativity, generosity, laughter, and love—and in her own way, she embodied the saying: "How we spend our days is how we spend our life."

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers-in-law, Howard, Richard, and Bill Orwick, and her sisters-in-law, Ida Mae Orwick and Janet MacKrell, along with nephews, Dick and Matt Orwick, niece, Julie Sexton, and her grandson, Lane Kopren.

She is survived by her loving husband, Jim, children Pete (Amy) Orwick, Jack (Cindy) Orwick, Beverly (Ross) Kopren, Ruth (Dwayne) Adams and Alice (John) Boyer, her brothers and sisters: Bob, Janet (Tom), Tom (Lorenda), Georgia Ann (Dennis), Arlene (Ernie), Marilyn (Sheldon) and Mike (Linda), grandchildren; Nichole, JD, James, Jacque, Kyle, Tessa, Abbie, Megan, Sam, Gunner and Stella and 32 great grandchildren.

Memorials have been established at the Castle Rock Fire Department and the Butte County Historical Society.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 14, 5-7- p.m. at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Newell, SD with a Rosary at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at the church Monday, Sept. 15, 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at the Hoover Cemetery.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.kinkadefunerals.com .

Joyce Orwick Folder