Joan Green

A celebration of life for Joan Fuhrer was held on Tuesday, August 2, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD, with Pastor Philip Henning officiating. Randy Martin and David Jones were ushers.

Music was provided by the Grace Lutheran Church Choir and the congregation, accompanied by Randy Sachtjen, organist. Jeff and Vicki Schaaf were in charge of registration.

Casket bearers were Mark Green, Sana Jo Hloucha, Nicole Harnack, Chase Green, Ashley Green, Addyson Pender and Andrew Pender.

Interment was in the Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD. Clausen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Joan Shirley Fuhrer was born on December 19, 1936, in Burke, SD, to Reinhold and Bertha Fuhrer.

She grew up on the farm west of Naper, NE, and attended District 44 country school through the eighth grade. She attended and graduated from Naper High School in May of 1954. She then attended Wayne State College and received her teaching certificate and taught in country schools in the Naper area for five years.

Marlan and Joan graduated from high school together and knew each other most of their lives but there was not a romantic interest on either’s part. They had their first date when Marlan was on leave from the service and then after a few more dates and a lot of letters exchanged they were married on May 24, 1959 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Naper, NE. They started their life together at Fort Huachuca, AZ, and then moved back to the Bristow, NE area once Marlan was discharged from the Army. They lived in the Bristow, NE and Herrick, SD areas, finally settling in Burke. Joan settled into a homemaker/full-time mom role while babysitting other children in her home.

In June of 1972 Joan and Marlan purchased the Standard Station in Burke, SD. This business venture forged a whole new partnership and set them on a new adventure. Joan worked alongside her husband, Marlan, in the station, primarily doing the book work and waiting on customers. She was not afraid to get her hands dirty and would do what she could to assist customers and Marlan when needed.

Joan was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Jamison, NE, was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Naper, NE, was confirmed in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Naper, NE, and continued to be a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Burke, SD. While a member of Grace she was active with the Ladies Aid, sang in the church choir, taught Sunday School and cleaned the church for several years.

She died at the Sanford Heart Hospital on July 27, 2021 at the age of 84 years.

Beside baking, Joan was an exceptional cook, always raised a garden and filled her basement shelves every year with canned goods, and tended to her various flower beds and projects.

Surviving her are her children Steve (Jolene) Green of Springfield, SD, Mike (Lisa) Green of Burke, SD, David Green of Burke, SD, Sheri (Jay) Pender of Johnston, IA; grandchildren Mark (Clarissa) Green, Shana (John) Hloucha, Nicole (Jared) Harnack, Chase (Karly) Green, Ashley Green, Addyson Pender, and Andrew Pender; five great-grandchildren; her bother-in-law Dennis Green of Rapid City, SD, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, her parents, in-laws Everett and Clara Green, and brother-in law and sister-in-law, Merlin and Ellen Green.