Joyce Rea

Joyce L. Rea, 80, of Waukon, IA, died Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at her home in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Monday, June 16th, at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Jim Dubert officiating. Burial will be at St. John the Baptist Cemetery at West Ridge, in rural Waukon. Friends may call from 3:00 - 7:00 PM Sunday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon where there will be a 2:45 PM scripture service.


Joyce Lorraine Rea was born April 2, 1934, on her parents' farm in rural Volney, IA, the daughter of Frank and Gladys (Henderson) Huffman. She attended Waukon High School. On May 10, 1952, she married Raphael James Rea at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Oceanside, CA. They farmed the Rea family Century Farm in Union Prairie Township, IA, where they raised dairy and beef cattle, hogs, chickens, and crops. Joyce also worked as nurse's aide at the Good Samaritan Center. In 1994, they moved to Waukon and Joyce worked at the Waukon Living Center.


She was a former member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church where she was very active. Joyce was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. When her children were younger, she was a 4-H leader for the West Ridge Robins. She enjoyed sewing, embroider work, crocheting, quilting, cooking, canning, baking and decorating cakes for all occasions, fishing, and working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joyce was an avid Chicago Cubs fan.


Survivors include her children: James (Judy) Rea of Lake Mills, IA, Pam (Robert) Winters of Waukon, Mary (Ken) Hansen of Wyoming, IA, Carol (Dave) Hanson, Carla (Dan) Leidahl, and Rick (Lori) Rea, all of Decorah, IA, and Laurie (Eric) Kreul of West Union, IA; 25 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; a sister Helen Mathis of Waukon; 4 sisters-in-law: Sylvia Huffman of Waterloo, IA, Mary Hicks of Rockford, IL, Pam Huffman of Decorah, IA, and Ruth Rea of Lansing, IA. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Raphael, who died in 2006; two sons: Robert and Patrick Rea; and six brothers: Donald, Keith, Eugene, Ralph, Cyril, and Milton Huffman.


Honorary casketbearers are Joyce's grandchildren. Casketbearers are Kraig Hansen, Jason and Luke Leidahl, Chad Hanson, Shea, Sean, and Tyler Rea, Drew Samuelson, and Mark Mathis.