Joyce Pesch, 69

Joyce M. Pesch, 69, Elbow Lake, passed away Monday, March 11, 2013, in Brooklyn Park.

Joyce was born January 27, 1944 in Slayton to Cloyse and Vivian (Crabtree) Cowan. She graduated from high school in Fulda and worked for the Campbell Soup Company in Worthington.

In the late 1960s, Joyce moved to Elbow Lake and began working at West Central Minnesota Communities Action, Inc., where she become director. In 1985, Joyce was appointed director for the Grant County Social Services Department. In 2008, Joyce became the administrator for the Region IV South Adult Mental Health Initiative until she retired.

Joyce’s work was her passion, but she also loved gardening, fishing, reading, sewing, her children and grandchildren, and looked forward to the annual vacation on Island Lake near Detroit Lakes, something the family did for more than 20 years.

She is survived by her children, Jeffrey (Peggy) Pesch of Rockford, Sheri (Mark) Brown of Stillwater and Christopher (Michelle) Pesch of Eagan; three grandchildren, Michele, Brittany and Joshua Pesch; siblings, Bill Cowan of Wilmont, Larry (Henri) Cowan of Storden, Sharon (Bud) Fritz of Reading and Joan Kontz of Pearce, AZ; and three sisters-in-law, Betty Cowan of Shakopee, Joan Cowan of Barstow, CA and Judy Cowan of Wilmont.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Linda Rose, who died in infancy; brothers, Don, Norman and Gary “Pete” Cowan; and brother-in-law, Rowdy Kontz.

Condolences may be sent online at www.EricksonSmithFH.com.

Arrangements are with Erickson-Smith Funeral Home in Elbow Lake.

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