Joan Duerksen

Services for Lehigh native Joan Ruth Duerksen, 83, who died Saturday at her residence in Newton, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Grace Community Church in Newton.

Pastor Steve Friesen will officiate. Family members will receive visitors from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Born Feb. 8, 1938, to Dan and Rose (Klassen) Plett, she married Willis Duerksen on Sept. 13, 1956, at Gnadenau Church, rural Hillsboro. He died in 2015.

Survivors include sons Noel Duerksen of Springhill and Richard Duerksen of Newton; daughters Nona Mason of Goodland and Martha Hopkins of Newton; brother Robert Plett of Reedley, California; sister Carol Jantz of Denver; 15 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Her brother, Jerry Plett of Lincolnville, died in 2020.

A memorial has been established with Good Shepherd Hospice, Newton.