Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Joyce Marie (Greenwood) Hafner passed away peacefully on May 29, 2022, age 82 at Catholic Health Initiatives Mercy Hospital in Valley City, ND. Visitation will be held at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Valley City on Friday, July 1, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 PM. A prayer service will follow, beginning with the Rosary being prayed. The funeral Mass will be on Saturday, July 2 at 11:00 AM. Both services will be live streamed, then archived, and available to view along with her obituary at www.lerudmathias.com.
Joyce was a beloved wife to her husband, Francis Hafner for 60 years; a devoted mother to her three daughters: Michele of Valley City, ND; Rene (Dave) of Jamestown, ND; Cynthia (Jim) of Valley City, ND; and two sons, Jeffrey (Peggy) of Silver Spring, MD; Adrian (Lori) of Highlands Ranch, CO; a proud grandmother to 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Joyce was born in Grafton, ND, on June 28, 1939, daughter of Eldon and Frances (Kohel) Greenwood. The day she was born, God knew she would be the perfect caregiver, wife, and mother. She embodied these roles by being tough in the hardest of times by working the graveyard shift and finding time to raise and nurture her family.
Joyce graduated from Grafton High School in 1958. She continued her education by attending the Nursing Program at Mercy Hospital in Valley City, ND. Here she graduated as a Registered Nurse (RN) in 1961. She continued to work at Mercy Hospital on the night shift for the next 40 years. Over these years, she made an impact on her patients with her loving and caring hands. Joyce had to balance preparing meals, attending sporting events, and school activities while trying to find time during the day to rest her body before her next shift. The work was long and hard, but she never complained.
On May 5, 1962, she was united in marriage to Francis Henry Hafner at St. John’s Catholic Church in Grafton, ND. They made their home in Valley City and were blessed with five children.
Joyce enjoyed baking and canning in her spare time, all the while whistling away. She also loved knitting, crocheting, and needlework. As a healthcare worker she not only brought passion to her job but also to the community by her involvement with TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) and serving as the president for many years. Her love of health and fitness was passed on to all her children and grandchildren.
She was involved in Catholic Daughters, Sisters of Mary of the Presentation and gave her time to the Nearly Nu. She ushered at St. Catherine Catholic Church and distributed Holy Communion to the home bound members of the parish. Joyce was also a volunteer for Girl Scouts where she was able to spend time with her daughters.
She is survived by her two sisters, Bonnie Shannon of Grafton, ND; Mary Margaret Sondreson (Lawrence) of Grafton, ND; brother, Patrick Greenwood (Marcy) of Jamestown, ND. Welcoming her to heaven with open arms are her parents, Eldon and Frances Greenwood; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Myrna Greenwood; brother-in-law, Kenneth Shannon; nephew, Ronnie Shannon; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Frank and Esther Hafner; and brother-in-law, Jerome Hafner.
She will be laid to rest at St. Catherine Catholic Cemetery, Valley City.