Alyce Marie Johnson

April 12, 1951 – February 13, 2024

Alyce Marie (Koistinen) Johnson was born April 12, 1951 to Ethel and Allen Koistinen and lived on a farm outside of Lake Norden. After Allen passed, the Koistinen family moved to Lake Norden, where Alyce graduated from high school.

She then attended Lake Area Tech in Watertown and obtained her LPN certification. While in school she met Terry Johnson at bowling. In 1973 they married in Lake Norden. Alyce and Terry settled in Pierre, where she worked at the Pierre Regional Hospital. They started their family there and in 1980, they moved back to the Firesteel area to farm with Terry’s father Walter and brother Kevin.

Alyce was known to help around the farm, as needed, and took on roles as the United Parish Church caretaker and secretary, and long-time choir member. She was a Timber Lake Fire and Rescue volunteer EMT, was active in the Mobridge Garden Club and served as president. She was also a proud Master Gardener and filled her house and yard with wonderful flowers– when they would grow in South Dakota gumbo. Her life was filled with many additional hobbies, including photography, wood working, and painting, but her passions centered around her grandkids, family and tending to her flowers.

Alyce passed away on February 13, 2024, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

She is survived by her husband, Terry Johnson; sister Susan (Mike) Petersen; and children, Nancy (Steve) Rausch, Janel (Chris) Kopp, and Mark (Megan) Johnson; and six grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ethel and Allen Koistinen; Terry’s parents, Walter and Lois Johnson; as well as her two brothers, David and Raymond Koistinen; and dear family friend, Harry Anderson.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Parish Church in Timber Lake. A prayer service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, February 23 at the church.

(Terry Johnson’s address is 13185 241 Ave., Firesteel, SD 57633.)