Joyce Tlustos

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Obituary

Joyce Ann Tlustos, 90 ¾, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Forestburg, SD, died suddenly and quietly at her home on Monday, May 6th, 2024. Memorial services will be 10:30 AM Friday, May 17, at Bittner Funeral Chapel with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian. Services will be led by her friend, Pastor Elizabeth Larsen Lewis.

Joyce Ann Matthews was born July 23, 1933 to Herbert “Curly” and Margaret Matthews who farmed a few miles east and north of Forestburg, SD. From a very early age she exhibited a great curiosity about the world outside and the living things which inhabit it, and the sense of adventure to get out into that world and experience it. That interest and activity continued through her entire life…always looking forward with a sense of adventure and sense of humor. She was the oldest of three girls, sisters Shirley (Cope) and Margie (Lindemann).

She attended Forestburg Schools for all 12 years, graduating high school in 1951. She then attended Nettleton Business College, graduating in 1953. She was employed for a time as a secretary for the management team at Fenn’s Ice Cream, Candy, and Dairy in Sioux Falls. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s she was the secretary for Hiawatha Valley United Methodist churches in Plainview, Kellogg, and Weaver MN. She also volunteered in countless community volunteer activities in Garden City and Plainview MN, and after retirement volunteered in Admissions at Sioux Valley/Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls for 22 years.

Joyce and Harlan Tlustos grew up a little over a mile from each other in rural Forestburg, Sanborn County, SD, and were friends from the earliest age. They went to school together, and began dating in high school. Harlan had completed his first two years at South Dakota State College when he entered the US Army. After training, he was scheduled to be deployed to Austria in late Spring of 1952. Before he left, Joyce boarded her first airplane and flew by herself from Sioux Falls to Alexandria, VA. There she was befriended by a women’s group at an Alexandria church, and in April they were married by the minister at that church, one of the church women, and an Army buddy in attendance. They remained married for over 61 years, up to Harlan’s death in the fall of 2013. Along the way they found time to raise three boys: Michael in 1955, and Joseph (January) and Bruce (November) in 1961.

Ever the adventurers, Joyce and Harlan travelled the US and Europe. 

When the boys were young, they travelled and camped across the US and Canada, and later donned helmets and leathers and travelled by motorcycle across the US to the West Coast, Banff in Canada, and to the Sturgis rally several years when it was still dangerous. They were members of the Thunderbolts and Retreads Motorcycle clubs. In the winter they also rode snowmobiles with their many friends, and were charter members of the Elba Snowbirds Snowmobile Club. Joyce never drank coffee before snowmobiling at age 40, and spent the next 50+ years working hard to catch up.

Joyce was always learning new things and participating in new activities. She ground her own wheat to bake bread, grew alfalfa sprouts, learned to spin, dye, knit and crochet wool, operated her own floor loom, and constantly learned new creative skills.  She had gardened consistently since she was a little girl on the farm during the Depression, but it was when Harlan retired in 1988 and they returned to South Dakota when she began taking her love of growing and learning to new levels.  With her vision…and Harlan’s carpentry skills…Joyce went about gathering exotic plants and strains, and in time began growing not only beautiful fresh flowers but all different kinds of flowers and grasses which she would then dry and create artistic displays of great beauty, whimsy, and imagination.  She also took to the fields, ditches, woods, and prairies to find and harvest an endless variety of plants, sticks, fungi, rocks, rusty metal and weathered wood, and anything else which caught her eye. She used them to create an endless number of different artistic creations which won her over 70 purple ribbons, was sought out and featured on a variety of TV and newspaper stories, and had works displayed at Sanford Hospital and the Lodge at Prairie Creek.  While fans were constantly telling her she could make a fortune selling her creations, she never sold a single piece, instead preferring to give them away to friends, family, and public spaces where they could be enjoyed by everyone.

For over a decade her spot in the gardens at Prairie Creek was the center of her creative and social world.  Walkers strolling by on the paved paths would stop at her garden in wonder, and when she was working there (which was often!) she’d answer questions and encourage others to try their own hand at growing and constructing their own creations. 

She was well on her way to begin planning her 2024 garden at the age of 90 when she left her family and friends on May 6. She always had time for questions, and got away with telling jokes and stories which would likely land the rest of us in court.  Joyce never judged anyone, accepted people as they were, approached all with warmth, generosity, kindness, humor, and patience, was a mentor to many and a friend to everyone she met. Her home and table were always open to “strays”, and on countless holidays she always made sure that people weren’t alone and had a place to be filled with warmth, apple butter, snickerdoodles, molasses crinkles, and lemon cookies.  And it was never, ever, too cold for ice cream.

She is survived by her sons and families, Mike (Sam, Haley, Al, and Bren Peterson), Joe (Joan and Linda), and Bruce (Kim, Tomas, Dan, Melanie, Kyle, Heather, Marissa, Alena, and Mackenzie); niece, Laurel Cope Peterson (Manley, kids and grandkids); sister, Margy Lindemann, Tim Iverson and family; friend, Judy Hanson; and to her entire community at Prairie Creek.

Joyce was preceded in death by husband, Harlan; parents Curly and Margaret; sister, Shirley and Robert; daughter-in-law, Jean; brother-in-law, Harvey Lindemann; and niece, Susan Iverson. 

Memorials will go to feed the hungry through Feeding South Dakota.

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