Joyce Langteau

Joyce Langteau, age 89, left her earthly home and family on February, 17th 2024 to be with her Savior. Without the use of a walker, she moved lightly, without effort into Jesus' heavenly home.

Joyce was born to Edward and Lois Millikin on November 17, 1934, in Stetsonville, WI. She grew up with 5 siblings and attended Medford High where she met our dad, Kenneth Langteau. They married February 2, 1952, and settled on the Langteau farm in Stetsonville.

When Joyce was 16, she had her first job at the Medford Clinic where she cleaned the nurse's residence. Little did she know that was just the beginning of having to pick up after others!

Raising 12 children was her foremost calling, requiring loving sacrifices we couldn't begin to appreciate until we became adults.

Through the years between diaper changes, sewing clothes, and chauffeuring kids, she worked outside of the house to help support our growing family. She worked night shift at Paragon in Two Rivers assembling appliance timers, sold Avon door to door, worked at Pennys, provided answering services for Valley Veterinary Clinic, and worked side by side with our dad managing the Gambles Hardware Store in Seymour.

When Joyce's own children began leaving the nest, she took on caring for others' children. She had countless, non-biological children calling her "Grandma." That wasn't enough though, so she financially supported poor kids in foreign countries through Children's International.

Joyce embroidered beautiful quilts for each of her children and hundreds more for extended family and friends. She loved baking, rarely needing to measure ingredients. Her German potato salad and apple bars are the best.

Our mom always dressed up and accessorized to a T. She had a collection of turtle pins that she loved to wear.

A devout catholic and member of St. John's Catholic Church, she was a good and faithful servant, and our family's cornerstone.

Joyce is survived by her children: Barbara Surman, Appleton; Becky (Tony) Kraft, Seymour; Terry Wilcox, Seymour; Pamela (Wayne) Fager, Green Bay; Mary (Chris) Young, Conway, AK; Andy Langteau (fiancé Martha), Seymour; Lisa (Tim) Leisgang, Seymour; Patty (Tim) Hardyman, Sun Prairie; Scott Langteau (Vi Truong), Alhambra, CA; Dominic (Elizabeth) Langteau, Stockbridge; Kelli Trost (special friend Daryl), DePere; along with many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is further survived by her brother, Wayne (Gerry) Faude. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Kenneth; son Christopher, siblings Clarence Millikin, Frances Paff, Lucille Jari, and Lorraine Schmidt; grandchild Bennett Trost; great grandchildren Brooke Pagel, Saylor Spalding Hardyman and Elizabeth Faith Hardyman; and son-in-law Jim Surman.

Friends may call at St. John Catholic Church, 915 Ivory Street, Seymour. Visitation will be Friday, February 23rd from 3:00 to 7:00 PM followed by a 7:00 PM prayer service. On Saturday, February 24th a visitation from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM will precede a funeral mass at 11:00 AM with Fr. Robert Chinnapan and Deacon Rich Matuszak concelebrating. A private interment will follow at the Allouez Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Seymour Good Shepherd Home's bus fund to provide residents with opportunities to engage in community events are appreciated. Donate HERE.

The family wished to extend heartfelt thanks to those who made a difference in Joyce's life: Fr. Bob Kabat, Fr. Brian Belongia, and Fr. Sengole Dass, Shepherd Inn and Good Shepherd personnel, Unity Hospice, Terry Marks, Martha and the late Floyd Daelke, and mostly her early morning coffee clutch group. "If I gave my family nothing else, I would hope it would be that they have and keep the love of Jesus."