Joie Gjernes

Joie K. Gjernes, 93, of Chelsea, passed away Monday, August 18, 2014 at the Faulkton Area Medical Center after a short illness.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Monday August 25, 2014 at the United Methodist Church, Cresbard with Pastor Bill Hoffman officiating. Burial followed in the Cresbard Cemetery. Visitation was held 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 2014 at Luce Funeral Home, Faulkton with a 5:00 p.m. prayer service.

Joie Knut Gjernes was born on October 29, 1920 to Gullick and Mary (Holt) Gjernes at the family home south of Chelsea, South Dakota. He lived his whole life there except for the time he spent serving his country in WWII. He attended grade school at Vensand Country School near his home. He then attended Cresbard High School. Upon graduation he began his life's work on the family farm with his parents and later his brother Floyd.  

November 17, 1942 he was called to serve his country with the 31st Tank Battalion, Company A, of the 7th Armored Division. He shipped out with his Division to England on the Queen Mary, the 6th day of June, D-Day.   He was a tank gunner of a M4-105 Howitzer on Sherman tank and was with the division until it was disbanded. His tank battalion received the Presidential Citation for their part in the Battle of the Bulge. Joie received an honorable discharge in December 1945 at the rank of Corporal. After he was discharged he returned home to the life he loved, the farm.

Joie then married Gladys Toennies of Cresbard on September 16, 1956. They moved in to the family home and lived there until his death. Marvin Joe was born on June 18, 1957 and Kathy Marie on July 11, 1959. Joie worked on the farm until his retirement and then he worked some more helping his son, Marvin. In his later years he was there mainly for moral support and advice. He loved his God, wife, family, church, and country. He was a member of the Devoe Methodist Church until its closing and later joined the Cresbard Methodist Church. He was a member of the Methodist Men's Fellowship, a church board member when the present Methodist Church was built in Cresbard. Joie was a life member of the Cresbard American Legion, which he joined in 1946, He was a 50 + year member of the Masonic Lodge, the Order of the Eastern Star, Sons of Norway and many other community organizations. He was an eleven year member of the Cresbard School board and was chairman when the two additions were added to the school.

Joie enjoyed fishing: making four trips to Canada to fish. He also enjoyed hunting and traveling all over the country and Norway.

Joie and Gladys attended 15-7th Armored Division Reunions. The last one attended was in 2005 when the 7th Armored held their reunion in Washington D.C. at the World War II Memorial.

He was a man that was respected and loved by those whose lives’ he touched and will be missed by his family and friends.

Those who will miss him are his wife of almost 58 years, Gladys of Chelsea; son, Marvin (LeAnn) Gjernes of Chelsea and daughter, Kathy (Jim) Didier of Rapid City; grandsons: Joie (Brooke) Gjernes and Matthew (Abigail) Gjernes and granddaughter, Jaimie Didier; great grandson, Ryder Gjernes, and great granddaughters: Bailey and Kaylin Gjernes; one sister, Shirley Chambers; one brother Floyd Gjernes; brothers-in-law: Loren (Lucille) Toennies and Merlvin (Judy) Toennies; and many nieces and nephews.

Joie was preceded in death by his parents; sister-in-law, Shirley I. Gjernes; and brother-in-law, Dean Chambers.