Joanne “Joey” Steichen, 95, of Mitchell, died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. 

Mass of Christian Burial for Joey Steichen was held Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mitchell. Burial was at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Cemetery in Woonsocket. Visitation was held Monday, at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a prayer service. 

Mary Joanne Steichen was born April 9, 1926, to Almar and Allye (Hazen) Bratsberg in Woonsocket.   

She graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1944, attended two years of college at Carlton College and graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1948. On Aug. 19, 1948, she married Kenneth Steichen in Woonsocket. Joey worked at the Sanborn County Bank for 1.5 years. 

They moved to their farm near Spencer in December 1954, where they farmed for 57 years and raised five children. In 2011, they moved to Mitchell and became members of Holy Family Catholic Church. Joey was a 4-H leader for 19 years, member of St. Peters Church (Farmer, S.D.), member of the altar society (where she held many offices), directed the young parishioner’s guitar choir, church organist, Red Hats member and taught piano lessons. She enjoyed dancing, reading, traveling, playing cards and recreational gambling.

Joey is survived by two sons, Jim (Jan) of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Dennis (Shelly) Steichen, of Raleigh, N.C.; three daughters, Kathy (Neil) Cauley of Excelsior, Minn., Polly (Rod) Huber of Alexandria, and Pam Olinger of Sioux Falls; 14 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; parents; sister, Phyllis; brother-in-law, Tom R. Brisbine; two grandchildren; and one son-in-law, Michael Olinger.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Cancer Society.