Joan Frances Fergen was born October 8, 1929 in Dimock, SD to Joseph and Elenora (Hohn) Wermers. Joan was raised and attended grade school in Dimock and graduated from Parkston High School in 1948. She married Caspar Fergen on May 31, 1951 at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Dimock and moved to Mitchell where they made their home. Joan worked for Bell Telephone Co. for 4 years and Queen of Peace Hospital for 15 years, retiring in 1994. She was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church and the Holy Family Altar Society. Joan enjoyed playing cards, fishing with Cap and raising her family, and her greatest pleasures were all of her family but she loved her Cap.

Grateful for sharing her life are her husband Caspar Fergen; children Mary (Linus) Mayer of Mitchell, SD, Pamela (Rodney) Heiser of St. Cloud, MN, Glen Fergen of Denver, CO, Linda (Curtis) Mueller of Ethan, SD, Lisa (Brad) Newman of Bismarck, ND, Casper (Angie) Fergen of Smithsville MO and Amy (Todd) Hohn of Mitchell, SD; sisters Millie Thury of Sioux Falls, SD, Helen Thury of Parkston, SD, Alice Lichter of Mitchell, SD and Elinor (Dwain) Finkenbiner of Piedmont, SD; brother Lyle (Eunice) Wermers of Virginia Beach, VA; brother-in-law Jim Smith of Port Charlotte, FL; 21 grandchildren and 23  great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Mary Smith; brothers John and Gerald; three brothers-in-law Norbert Thury, Louis Thury and Tom Lichter and sister-in-law Dottie Wermers.