Joy Eileen Dekok

Joy Eileen DeKok (Pater), 65, of rural Pine Island, MN breathed her last breath on Thursday morning, January 19, 2023. A service honoring Jesus Christ and Joy will be at 11am on Tuesday, January 24th, 2023 at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home in Rochester, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Pine Island Cemetery. If you'd like to watch the service streaming, please visit our Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Ranfranzandvine. Joy Eileen Pater, daughter of Clarence and Ruth Pater was born on December 2nd, 1957 in Forest Lake, MN. She graduated from Faith Christian School in 1976. She grew up and attended Faith Bible Church in Rochester, MN as a teenager where she accepted Jesus as her Savior. That relationship with Jesus influenced everything in her life. Joy also met Jonathan DeKok at Faith Bible Church. They fell in love and were married at 37th Street Baptist Church in Rochester, MN on January 1st, 1977. Joy DeKok was the best wife ever to Jonathan DeKok. She was also an author, blogger, and photographer. Joy has written and published 9 books. An inspirational book named "Under His Wings", three children's books, a book named "Rain Dance", three mystery novels all part of the "Northern Lights Series", and a book named "Your Life a Legacy". She has also written numerous blogs with her photos on joydekok.com. One of her latest was "Blessing" and photos of a young deer in our wild flower field who sought her out. Joy truly lived up to her name. She loved all of our nieces and nephews, and had relationships with most of them. Joy was a friend to many because of her personality and love for God, people, animals, and plants. Along with her husband, Jonathan of 46 years, she is survived by her brother Jon (Lisa) Pater. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. In 2018 Joy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went to be with Jesus Christ, her Savior at age 65. When grieving others who have gone before, Joy liked this stanza of an old hymn. "Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share, Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer." We miss her more than words can say and all who knew her are mourning her absence here and looking forward to the great reunion with Jesus Christ in Heaven. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes is honored to be serving the DeKok family; to share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.