Joyce Kay Hewitt was born December 18, 1929 to Leonard “Sam” and Bernice (Hall) Yakel in Cecil, WI. She died Saturday, July 21, 2018. Joyce was raised in Suring, Wisconsin where she met and married William E. Hewitt, February 26, 1949, on Bill’s birthday.
He was the love of her life and high school sweetheart. Joyce and Bill came to Sheboygan in 1949 and became active in the community. Joyce was a Girl Scout as a girl and when her daughter became old enough she wanted to give her the… Read More » experiences that she had.
She was a member for over 60 years, it gave her a change to share experiences and fun with her own daughters and other girls. She was a leader for her daughter’s troops through their twelve grades. She and Bill camped, canoed, hiked and traveled with the active girls.
Joyce served in every area of Scouting, Association chairman, Nominating Committee for Manitou Council; Adult Awards Committee, and many more. She was an indoor and outdoor trainer, teaching leaders and camp staff her love of the outdoors and how to take troops camping. She specialized in Ceremonies.
She was honored with many awards, the “Thanks, Badge” the highest award in adult scouting and twenty years later the “Thanks II Badge” for her continuing hard work. She received the “Woman of Distinction” award in 2001. Her most treasured gift was a quilt, handmade by all of the Scouts in Sheboygan, and Howards Grove area that she had been in charge of.
She was Manitou Council Day Camp site Director for 12 years. Joyce worked as a volunteer for Maywood, the E.H. May Environmental Park for 30 years, serving (30 years since it became a park in 1983) on its Board of Directors and many committees, and in charge of the speakers group, going out into the community. She was a volunteer teacher naturalist and loved teaching about nature and maple syruping.
Joyce served at school on PTAs Program Chairman, Vice-President and on the citywide PTA board. She volunteered at the Sheboygan Retirement Home, reading for a group every Tuesday and typed and cut stencils for the resident’s newsletter before the advent of the copy machine and computer. Joyce was an Avon lady for 27 years and received several “Mrs. Albys” for sales.
The St. Mark Lutheran church family was very important to both Joyce and Bill. She served as a greeter, on the Altar Guild, Daughters, and R&R group. She worked on the first library committee to form a library in the new church.
She was a member of the Audubon, Diabetes Association, Manitou Girl Scouts and E.H. May Environmental Park Association. She golfed with the Riverdale Nine Hole League for many years. Joyce enjoyed her times with her Red Hat friends.
Joyce was formerly employed at H.C. Prange grocery as a checkout (later as a Secret Shopper), McDonalds, J.C. Penney and the Paper Place. Joyce loved to cook and enjoyed cooking big meals for her family and sending leftovers home with the grandchildren. She could always be counted on to bake cake or bars for church, Maywood or sick friends.
The condo up at Eagle River was so special to Joyce and Bill a time when children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were together. They loved going to Shawano Lake and card playing with friends Curt and Sandy. Joyce is survived by her high school sweetheart, Bill, they shared their love for 69 years of married life.
She is further survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Cheri (David) Gruenke,: Debi (Mark) Podrzay, three grandson, Bryan (Mysti) Gruenke, Jason (Amy) Gruenke, Jon Gruenke, great-grandchildren, Ethan Gruenke and Ashley and Morgan Gruenke, step-great-grandchildren Anna and Alex Goerg, a sister-in-law Bernice Yakel, Slinger, nieces and nephews, many special friends and relatives, especially close are her extra “Girl Scout Daughters”. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Hollis and Roger Yakel, and granddaughter Brenda Ann Gruenke. Memorials have been established in Joyce’s memory for the Manitou Girl Scout Friends Campership Fund, Maywood Environmental Park, and St. Mark Lutheran Church.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 26 at 2:00 PM at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1019 N. 7th St. Sheboygan, with Pastor Brett Matz officiating. Burial will take place at Sunrise Memorial Gardens with a short “Scout’s Own” to end the service with a time of sharing memories. Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Thursday July 26, 2018 from 10:00 AM until the time of service at the CHURCH.
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