Joyce Lourens

Joyce Kathryn Lourens, 82, of Altoona, passed away on Tuesday September 15, 2020 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. The only child of Edward and Minnie Roorda, she was born on September 5, 1938 in Pella, Iowa. She attended Pleasant Grove (Pella) and Maple Grove (Prairie City) country schools and graduated from Prairie City High School in 1957.

On October 1, 1957 Joyce married Larry Lourens of Runnells. They were blessed with two sons, Douglas and Kevin. She was employed at the State Health Department following high school, and was a stay-at-home mom after their sons were born. With the boys in school she began working at the Altoona Christian Church, then in 1978 when Adventure-Life Reformed Church was organized she was employed there as a secretary for 26 years until she retired. Larry and Joyce are charter members of Adventure-Life Church and she was a longtime volunteer at the Caring Hands Food Pantry in Altoona.

Her hobbies were reading, scrapbooking and embroidering. Larry, Joyce and the boys also enjoyed camping and traveling.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Larry, with whom she celebrated nearly 63 years of marriage; sons, Doug (Diane) of Urbandale and Kevin (Jonathan) of Washington, DC; grandchildren, Rob of Seattle, John (Jess) of Omaha, and Anna Culbert (Evan) of New Hampshire. Also surviving are her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Les and Ruth Lourens of Altoona; sister-in-law, Janice Brouwer of Des Moines; brother, Bob Brouwer of Pella; sister, Judi (Stan) Van Hemert of Newton; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her in-laws, Ben and Gertrude Lourens; a brother, John Brouwer; a brother-in-law, Ron Lourens; a sister-in-law, Connie Brouwer; and many uncles and aunts.

The family will receive visitors from 9 am to 12 pm Monday, September 21, 2020 at Hamilton’s Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th Street SW. The family requests masks be worn and social distancing is encouraged.

A private family funeral service will be held later that day with interment to follow at Altoona Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Adventure-Life Reformed Church Building Fund.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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