Joan Northrup age 83, of Mitchell died Sunday, February 5, 2017 at Firesteel Health Care Community. Visitation will 6 to 8 PM Thursday, February 9, 2017at the Will Funeral Chapel with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Friday at Letcher Community Church in Letcher with the Rev. Garry Swagger officiating. Burial will be in Butler Cemetery rural Letcher.

Joan was born on July 28, 1933 at home in Hanson County to Charles and Florence (Aalseth) Black.  Joan attended country grade school and graduated from Armour High School. She attended Northern State College where she obtained a teaching certificate and taught school for several years.

Joan worked various jobs in Mitchell, SD where she met a shy young guy at the Dome roller skating rink.   Joan married Marvin Joseph Northrup on February 2, 1958 in Armour, SD.

Marvin and Joan lived on the family farm near Letcher, SD where she assisted with the farm duties and they raised their four children. They also enjoyed going to shows and dancing. In 2003 they moved from the farm to Mitchell, SD.

Joan also attended Dakota Wesleyan University to further her education.  As a result of a car accident she took up swimming for physical therapy to assist in her recovery and daily living activities of which she continued for years.

Joan enjoyed reading, with a special interest in poems, needle point, collecting thimbles and a good cup of coffee.

She is survived by her husband Marvin Northrup, Mitchell, SD; her children Krystal Northrup, Mitchell; Bradley (Jennifer) Northrup, Junction City, KS; Jewel (Bobby) Kopfmann, Virgil, SD; 5 grandchildren Andrew Northrup, Molly Kopfmann, Kole Kopfmann, Kathy Northrup, Shyanne Kopfmann; 1 great grandchild Loukas Northrup; 2 sisters, Ella Mae (Robert) Wood, Denver, CO; Iona (James) Langer of Loveland, CO; Sister-in-law Clarine Black of Winner, SD.

She is preceded in death by son Joseph Northrup, by her parents, a brother, Kenneth; a sister Eunice and her husband Orvis.