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Joan Lester, age 97, of Bison, SD, passed away on Saturday, November 2, 2024 in Spearfish, SD.

Mass of Christian Burial for Joan will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Bison, SD.  Fr. Bryan Sorensen will officiate with burial to follow in the Bison Cemetery.

A rosary/vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at the church in Bison.

Joan Patricia Burke was born on December 22, 1926, to John Joseph and Clara Louise (Monson) Burke in Reliance, SD.

She was united in marriage to Cletus Bernard Lester at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Reliance, SD, on December 19, 1947.  Joan and family moved with Cletus to various construction jobs throughout South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming until they settled in Bison, SD, in 1972.

Joan made many lifetime friends wherever they were.  She loved to dance, play cards and clean house.  All of her kids agree that you could have eaten off her floors as they were always so clean.  They moved back to Spearfish in 1997 and Cletus passed away on October 15, 1999.  Joan continued to live in Spearfish with her son Jack, until she entered Edgewood Vista in August of 2024.  She passed from this life there on November 2, 2024.

Joan leaves behind four sons, Robert (Jan) Lester and James (Cathi) Lester, all of Pierre, SD, Thomas (Cindy) Lester, Rapid City, SD, and Jack Lester, Spearfish, SD; two daughters, Deberah Lester, Lemmon, SD and Paula (Dave) Kopren, Bison, SD; bonus daughter, Pat Jensen, Lemmon, SD; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Joyce (Loyd) Brandt, Rapid City, SD, and Lana Hill, Whitewood, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, John and Clara Burke; husband Cletus Lester; son, Steven Lester; grandsons, James Lester and John Jordon Lester.

~Love you Mom~ your Kids and grandkids