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Joyce Holzhause Wilson

Joyce Holzhause Wilson

Joyce Holzhause Wilson, 95, of Napoleon passed away at 9:50a.m., Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at the Manderley Health Care Center in Osgood. She was born on the farm near Napoleon where she spent most of her life on September 25, 1926, the daughter of Clarence and Florence Siebert Holzhause. She was married to Leslie Wilson on March 18, 1949 and he preceded her in death on October 24, 2003.


Survivors include her daughter-in-law Debbie Wilson of Osgood; two grand sons Jeff (Kelly) Wilson of Fishers and Steven Koehne of Fountaintown; two granddaughters Sherry Stagge of Carmel and Amber Maguire of Osgood; 8 great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents, her son David Wilson, her daughter Karen Koehne, and her sister Marjorie Matthews.


Mrs. Wilson was a 1944 graduate of Napoleon High School. She spent her entire life in the Napoleon area except for two years during WWII where she worked for the IRS in Indianapolis. Leslie and Joyce farmed and opened Wilson’s Saw Shop at their home west of Napoleon in 1951, operating it until Leslie’s death in 2003. Joyce was a self-taught saw technician and was well known in the tri-state area for her expertise. She continued to sell Homelite saw parts online to customers around the country well past her 90th birthday. She enjoyed bowling in Greensburg and Versailles and actively participated in the Greensburg Senior Citizens Center as long as her health would allow. She was also an avid card player. Joyce was a lifelong member of the St. John Lutheran Church in Napoleon.


Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 24 at 11am at the St. John Lutheran Church in Napoleon with Pastor Martin Bornhoeft officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be on Sunday from 4pm to 6pm at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles and from 10am until time of services Monday at the church. Memorials may be given to the church or the Ripley County Humane Society in care of the funeral home.