Joyce M. Horacek

Joyce M. Horacek, age 85, of Abbotsford, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Friday, August 15, 2025 at Colonial Health and Rehabilitation Center in Colby under the tender care of St. Croix Hospice.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Abbotsford with Father Arockia Amirtha Raj Stanislaus officiating. Interment to follow at the Abbotsford Public Cemetery. Please join the family from 9:00 a.m. until time of the service Friday at the church. Live stream will be available for those unable to attend on the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home Facebook page or after the service anytime on Facebook or the website.

Joyce was born on July 9, 1940, the daughter of Fredrick "Fritz" and Clara (Felzkowski) Kropp in Athens. She graduated from Athens High School. Joyce met Peter in 1958 and knew shortly he was to be her soulmate. On September 24, 1960, Joyce was united in marriage to Peter Horacek at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Athens. In 1966, they purchased a farm near Milan and raised their family there. For 31 years they farmed together and ran Horacek Electric. In 1997, they moved to Abbotsford and continued the Horacek Electric Business with Joyce being the bookkeeper, until they retired in 2020.

Joyce was known by many as an excellent cook at the Casa Grande Restaurant in Abbotsford. She was also loved by many when she worked at the Abbotsford Assisted Living Center and remembered for a warm welcome at the Colby Subway Station.

Joyce enjoyed gardening; both vegetable and flowers. She had a knack to make the perfect crunchy canned pickles and her family was blessed by her cooking talent and will cherish all her recipes, especially Grandma Horacek's Dumplings that are a favorite at family holiday gatherings. Together, Joyce and Peter enjoyed retirement, taking in the fall colors on numerous rides. They loved to go on the weekends and listen to their favorite polka bands. They also enjoyed bowling in league in their younger years. Above all, Joyce enjoyed spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren. She was loved by all she met and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Joyce is survived by her husband of 64 years, Peter; five children: Kenneth (Cathy) Horacek, Linda (Joseph) Daniels, Kevin (Tammy) Horacek, Denise (David) Manecke and Elizabeth (Jeremy) Spoelstra; 20 grandchildren: Anthony (Audrey) Horacek, Amy (Matt) Thorson, Steven Horacek, Kenneth (Erica) Horacek, Emily (Alex) Bohman, Nathan Daniels, Kassandra Daniels, Samantha (Jeff) Kinnally, Sabrina (Ryan) Iczkowski, Christina (Brandon) Raasch, Lisa (Brad) Wormsbacher, Benjamin (Katelyn) Martyn, Austin Manecke, Christian Manecke, Ellyanne Manecke, Daniel Spoelstra, Jacob Spoelstra, Noah Spoelstra and Isaac Spoelstra; 19 great-grandchildren: Odin Uker, Dekker Horacek, Jack Horacek, Olivia Thorson, Charlotte Thorson, Henry Thorson, Dean Horacek, Ellie Jo Horacek, Bentley Bohman, Alex Bohman, Gary Bohman, Oliver Bohman, Everett Kinnally, Jaxson Kinnally, Hannah Iczkowski, Raelynn Raasch, Audrey Wormsbacher, Finnley Wormsbacher and Blair Martyn. She is further survived by one brother, LeRoy Kropp; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her granddaughter, Mikayla Daniels; three sisters: Mary Dvorak, Delores Pilsner and Johanna Kropp.