Josie Hands age 97, of Mitchell died October 17, 2016 at Firesteel Health Community. Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Thursday, October 27, 2016 at Harvest Community Church of the Nazarene in Mitchell, SD. Visitation will be one hour prior the funeral service at the church. Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery, Carthage, SD

Josie Olive Hands was born at Carthage, SD on October 13, 1919 to Arthur and Ida (Dobson) Sneesby.

After graduating from Carthage High School in 1937, she went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree from Dakota Wesleyan and a Master's Degree from the University of Nebraska. She taught schools in Kingsbury and Minor Counties before coming to Mitchell where she taught sixth grade at Longfellow School from 1951-1959.

On August 11, 1959 Josie married Rev. A. Ward Hands, a minister in the Church of the Nazarene. She served as a pastor's wife from 1959-1979 in churches located in Carthage, Rapid City, Huron and Beulah, SD.

Josie served her Lord and church in many ways which included District Junior Director, Local NYPS President, many times as District Assembly Delegate, Delegate to NWMS conventions, Prayer and Fasting Secretary for 27 years, church treasurer at the Church of the Nazarene in Mitchell for 22 years, and Junior Bible Quiz Director at Mitchell Church of the Nazarene for 15 years winning First Place on the District nine times.

As Josie's eyesight failed her in later years, she memorized her prayer list so she could continue helping others through her faithfulness in a daily prayer time. Many lives were blessed because of her prayer list.

Josie is survived by her sister Ida Crandall of Nampa, ID, nieces Debra Clancy and Lois Deacon, ID, Carolyn Fountain, AZ  and a nephew Vernon Bates, AZ; step-grandchildren Burton Hands, CO, Margaret Phelps, CO, Carene Weil, CA, Carol Divine, CA, Alva Tedesco and Melvin Vandersall, CA;  eleven step great-grandchildren, thirteen step great-great grandchildren and special friend Elva Norton, MN.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Ward Hands in 1996, her parents, a brother James in 1970, sisters Lillian Bates in 2007, and Gladys Sneesby in 2013, and one nephew, David Bates in 1974, step-children Melvin Hands, Lillian Vandersall and Margueritte Thrush.