Joyce Roberta (Buchholz) Welke, 88, of Redfield, SD, passed away on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Community Memorial Hospital in Redfield.

Her funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Eastern Star Chapel in Redfield with Pastor Melissa Rowenhorst officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Following her service, refreshments will be served at the Eastern Star Home. Joyce will be cremated and buried at a later date at the Tulare Cemetery in Tulare, SD.

The funeral service will be recorded and uploaded to the funeral home's website below Joyce's obituary.  Hyke Funeral Home of Redfield has been entrusted with arrangements (www.hykefuneralhome.com).

Joyce was born on March 12, 1937, to William and Edrae (Frericks) Buchholz of rural Tulare. She was raised on the family farm and attended a country school. Later, she went to Tulare Public School and graduated from there.

Joyce married Donald Welke from rural Tulare on December 12, 1954. They farmed for a few years before moving to Redfield, where they have lived since. A housewife at first, then an ASCS office clerk. In 1965, she changed jobs and became a teller at the Spink County Bank, where she worked until her retirement at the age of 63. She volunteered in several roles at the Redfield Methodist Church throughout much of her adult life. She assisted others throughout the community during her retirement and loved reading books.

She is survived by her husband Donald Welke; her children: James Welke of Texas, Terry Welke of Texas, Mitchell Welke of Utah, Todd Welke of California; seven grandchildren; her older sister Hellen (Mort) Cooper of Arizona; and two nephews:  Bill Cooper of Missouri and Mike Cooper of Arizona.