Joanne Hofwolt, 72, of Mitchell, died Saturday, June 6, 2020, at her home in Mitchell.

Funeral services were held Thursday, June 11, at Mitchell Wesleyan Church. Burial was in Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation was Wednesday, June 10, with a prayer service at Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Joanne was born Oct. 15, 1947, to Ray E. and Anna N. (Wranek) Adams of Alexandria at the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell.

In her early years Joanne started school at Letcher Public School. She completed the rest of her education in the Mitchell Public Schools when her parents had moved to Mitchell in April 1954. She graduated from Mitchell Public School in 1965.

Joanne began employment at St. Joseph Hospital in Mitchell. She also worked with the Adjustment Training Center (LifeQuest). Joanne attended Dakota Wesleyan University and graduated in 1978 with a BA in social work. She was a licensed social worker in the state of South Dakota. In later years, she was a dietician at Bethel Lutheran Nursing Home when she moved to Madison.

On Oct. 15, 1988, Joanne Adams married Stanley Hofwolt. The Hofwolts moved back to Mitchell where Joanne used her BA in social work to gain employment at Firesteel Healthcare Center for the next 15 years. After her employment ended there, she took employment with Home Instead. She retired in June 2019.

Joanne and her husband Stanley Hofwolt were also foster parents for many kids over the last 25 years, and eventually adopted four of the children as their own over the years. Joanne was an active member of the Mitchell Wesleyan Church where she volunteered in the Arms of Love program and in the nursery on Sundays.  She volunteered as a lunch lady occasionally at Mitchell Christian School. Joanne was active in her community and involved in organizations such as Red Hatters, MACPD, and a few others. Joanne enjoyed family vacations, Bingo, cooking, planning, and setting up and hosting family events. She was kind, hardworking and cheerful.

Joanne is survived by her husband, Stanley Hofwolt of Mitchell; daughters, Anna (Steven) Nussbaum of Plankinton and Sara Hofwolt of Sioux Falls; sons, Anthony and Alexander Bear Robe – Hofwolt of Mitchell, and William Hofwolt of Sioux Falls; three grandchildren; sisters, Betty Christensen, Nancy Kirchmeirer, and Diana Wick, all of Mitchell; brothers, David Adams of Everett, Wash. and Gary Adams of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives grateful to have shared her life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ray E. and Anna N. (Wranek) Adams; brothers, Clarence, Arthur and Kenneth Adams; sisters, Alta (Melvin) Gering and Esther (Donald) Underwood.