Joel Mark Weidner

1956 - 2020

Joel Mark Weidner, 63, of Atlantic, passed away Sunday, July 26, 2020, at Caring Acres Nursing & Rehab in Anita.

Joel Mark Weidner was born Dec. 4, 1956, to Otto and Esther (Pullmann) Weidner at the Freeman Hospital in Freeman South Dakota. He was the youngest of four children.

Joel attended school in a special needs classroom in Freeman, South Dakota from Kindergarten until 1972, when he moved to Atlantic with his parents. In Atlantic, he attended the special needs school that was held in a five-room residential home until it was moved to the Pymosa school building just north of Atlantic. At age 21, he graduated from that school and started working at Cass Incorporated in Atlantic. He worked there until 2015, when he retired.

He lived with his parents until moving into the Lutheran Group Home on Olive Street, where he was the first resident. When the Lutheran Home was taken over by Cass Inc., he moved into a residential home with two of his friends from the Lutheran Home Group. In May of 2018, Joel moved into Caring Acres in Anita.

Joel was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod and he was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic.

He was a very social person and loved being active. He would occasionally help usher at church. Joel enjoyed fishing, bowling and playing challenger basketball. He also liked the Iowa Hawkeyes State Cyclones, Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings. But his real thrill was NASCAR racing. His favorite racer was Jeff Gordon and the # 24 car. He got to meet Jeff Gordon and have his picture taken with him at a NASCAR race. Joel also liked John Deere tractors, watching the Dukes of Hazard and listening to country/western music, especially Johnny Cash.

Joel took many trips with his family to Okoboji, Disneyland in California, Seattle, Wash., St. Louis, Mo., Kansas City, Mo., Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas and Wisconsin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Esther; a grand-niece, Grace Miranda; nephew-in-law, Ryan Miranda and niece-in-law, Kim Weidner.

Joel loved his family and they loved hm back. He is survived by a sister, Elizabeth (Jim) Last of Weatherford, Texas; brothers, Robert Weidner of Durand, Wis. and Philip (Wanda) Weidner of Marne; nieces and nephews, Derek Weidner and special friend, Sue Myer Hayden of Stanley Wis., Karyn (Jamie) Joyce of Atlantic, Julie (Kevin) St. John of Anita, Bryan (Misty) Weidner of Minden, Sheri (Chad) Kinzie of Bondurant, Krisi Miranda of Coon Rapids, Corey (Melonie) Last of Puyallup, Wash. and Andrew Weidner; grand-nieces and nephews, Heather (Kurtis) Hoffman, Nick Joyce and Matt St John, Emma Joyce, Brody Weidner, Tyler Weidner, Owen Kinzie, Bralynne Kinzie, Isabelle Miranda, Henry Miranda, Brenda Kayser, John Weidner, Jonah Last, Katie Last, Cora Last and AJ Schreiber of Cornell, Wis.; great-grand-nieces and nephews, Alexa Hoffman, Emmet and Hagen Kayser and Aubrielle, Abagail, Adrian and Alivia Schreiber.

Visitation with family will be from 5 – 7 p.m., Thursday, July 30 at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.

Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m., Friday, July 31 at Brighton Township Cemetery in Marne.

Memorials may be left to family's wishes to be designated at a later date.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences can be left at www.hockenberryfamilycare.com.