JoAnn L Horner

JoAnn L. Horner, age 78, of Toronto, South Dakota, passed away peacefully at her home on May 5, 2025.
A memorial service celebrating JoAnn's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14th at Leganger Lutheran Church in Toronto, SD. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. JoAnn was cremated in accordance with her wishes, and her ashes will be laid to rest in a committal service at Leganger Lutheran Cemetery following the memorial. All are welcome to join the family afterward for refreshments and fellowship back at the church. The family warmly invites all who knew and loved JoAnn to join in honoring her memory and celebrating the legacy she leaves behind.
Memorial donations may be made to the Leganger Lutheran Quilters. JoAnn found great joy and purpose in the quilting group, and supporting their work is a beautiful way to carry on her legacy of love, faith, and giving to others.
JoAnn was born in Watertown, South Dakota, to parents Norton and Lucille (Halverson) Gronseth on September 19, 1946 and was raised on the family farm in the close-knit community of Brandt. After graduating from Toronto High School she attended Stewart School of Hairstyling in Sioux Falls, SD. On September 1, 1968, she married William R. Horner in Brandt. The couple made their home in Toronto before moving to their family farm just outside of town in 1980, where they raised their two daughters, Michelle Ann Horner and Jann Marie Horner.
JoAnn was a woman of many talents, quiet strength, and deep dedication. She began her career as a hairdresser, running a beauty shop in Toronto, while also helping to operate the family farm alongside her husband. Her creativity extended into a ceramics shop, where she handcrafted beautiful pieces that reflected her eye for detail and love of making things by hand. In her spare time, she enjoyed bowling and was a proud member of a local league. She was a passionate and skilled cook, working in kitchens throughout the local area - always remembered for her comforting meals, delicious baked goods, and impressive collection of cookbooks. Her love of cooking was matched only by her love of serving others. She balanced the demands of life with selfless devotion to her family, especially caring for her eldest daughter through health challenges with grace and strength.
JoAnn had a deep appreciation for life's simple joys. She was a devoted Minnesota Twins fan and rarely missed a game - always quick to share the score or recap the latest win. She was also an avid reader who could often be found with a book in hand, lost in a good story. She nurtured a lifelong love of gardening - filling her home and apartment with vibrant flower pots and tending to a large, thriving garden on the farm. She lovingly passed this knowledge on to her daughters and granddaughter, teaching them how to plant, care for, and appreciate the beauty of growing things. JoAnn believed strongly in civic responsibility and proudly served for many years as a volunteer poll worker during local elections. She believed firmly in the importance of civic engagement and the responsibility we all share in shaping the future.
JoAnn was a devoted member of Leganger Lutheran Church, where her faith was not just something she practiced, but something she lived every day. She actively participated in nearly every facet of church life - from Bible study to the quilting group and women's church circle - always showing up with a warm heart, helping hands, and a quiet strength. She found purpose in serving others, whether it was preparing meals for church gatherings, creating quilts for those in need, or offering prayerful support to fellow members.
Perhaps one of JoAnn's greatest gifts was her ability to truly listen. She had an open heart and a calming presence that invited people to share - friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers who crossed her path. Whether someone needed to talk through a hardship, celebrate a joy, or simply feel heard, JoAnn made time. She listened without judgment, without hurry, and always with compassion. It was in these quiet moments - sitting at her kitchen table, after a church service, or during a casual visit - that JoAnn offered some of her most profound acts of love.
Her unwavering commitment to her church community reflected the depth of her spiritual life and the kindness that defined her. Through her faith and her care for others, JoAnn led by example - with humility, generosity, and grace - and her legacy of gentleness, service, and deep empathy will live on in the many lives she touched.
JoAnn is survived by her loving daughter Jann M. Horner of Toronto, SD; her cherished granddaughter Gabbie Nelson (fiancè Trevor Drawdy) of Glendale, AZ; her brother Tom (Pat) Gronseth of Green Bay, WI; her sister Eileen Monahan of Tucson, AZ; her brother-in-law Richard Dupraz of Yankton, SD; and nieces and nephews. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt whose quiet strength and unconditional love were constants in the lives of those closest to her.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William R. Horner; her daughter Michelle Ann Horner; her brother-in-law Harry Monahan; her sister-in-law Betty Dupraz; her father and mother-in law William and Marion (Richardson) Horner; and her parents, Norton and Lucille, whose guidance and love helped shape the kind and giving woman she became.