Joyce A. Zender

Joyce A. Zender of St. Peter and formerly of Lake Crystal died, Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Mayo Clinic Health System – Mankato, after a 6 month battle with acute myeloid leukemia.

A Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m., June 21, 2021 at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Lake Crystal.  Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m., June 20 at the church and one hour before the service. Memorials may be given to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Lake Crystal Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Joyce was born November 23, 1939 to Silas and Marie (Becker) Wilth in St. James.  She graduated from St. James High School in 1957.  Joyce was united in marriage to David D. Zender on June 21, 1958 at the Methodist Church in St. James.

Joyce was employed as the head cashier for South Central Electric Association from 1956-1961.  Joyce and David moved to Lake Crystal in 1961 and she started her employment in 1963 for Glenn Johnson Insurance and Tax Service.  She purchased the Tax Service at Glenn’s retirement and continued as Zender Tax Service until her retirement in 2007, over 40 years in the same building.

Joyce and David moved to St. Peter in 2015 and she became an active volunteer at Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College and a member of the Pine Pointe Ladies Book Club and Birthday Club.

Joyce was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, now Cornerstone UMC, where she served on various leadership and committee roles.

Joyce was active in the Lake Crystal Lioness Club and the Lake Crystal Garden Club.  She loved her family, her dogs, gardening, traveling, reading, cooking, and entertaining.

Joyce is survived by her husband of almost 62 years, David of St. Peter; son, Mark (Lisa) Zender of Mahtomedi; son-in-law, Mike Sandt of Lake Crystal four grandchildren, Katy (Matt) Jones of Juneau, Alaska, Thomas Sandt of Lake Crystal, Madison Zender of White Bear Lake, and Morgan Zender of St. Louis Park.

Joyce's deceased family include her parents, Silas and Marie; daughter, Elizabeth “Liz” Sandt; and one brother, Joseph all of St. James.