Joyce Beverly Erickson, 85, of Williston, North Dakota, passed away peacefully at her granddaughter’s residence in Mandan, ND on Friday, February 20, 2026 with family and hospice by her side.

Joyce Beverly (Morast) Erickson was born April 22nd, 1940 to Otto and Irma (Pfennig) Morast in Beulah, North Dakota. She was the eldest of two sisters and a brother and grew up on a farm in Beulah and later moved to Driscoll, ND where she attended school in both towns.

As a child, she fell in love with books, being an avid reader all her life. She always had at least two books with her at all times. She would say, “I can sit in my chair and go anywhere.” As a young girl Joyce and her sisters would sing at family gatherings, town functions and church picnics. She played the accordion, piano, guitar and harmonica. It would be at a choir classmates’ home in Driscoll, where she would meet her future husband, Keith “Skeeter” Jon Erickson as he rode up on horseback. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1957. To that union they had 6 children; Kay Jo, Cheryl Ann, Quentin Keith, James Dean, Kathy Ann and Karen Marie.

Skeeter and Joyce moved to Williston, ND shortly after their first child was born, arriving by bus with one suitcase, a baby and a 13” black and white TV. They went to work on the Aafedt farm, until they saved enough money to move into town. In their younger years they would dance the night away. Skeeter would say and tell everyone “She is one stubborn German”!

Joyce worked numerous jobs throughout her life. On the farm she cooked for the farm hands and did laundry. She sold Amway, telemarketer for soft H2O dispensers, cashier at the Red Owl Country Store, Roughrider Liquor and Sports, and Pamida. Joyce was also a CNA at Bethel for a short time. In the early 90’s, Skeeter and Joyce bought a bar in New Salem, “Our Place” which they owned for 10 years, this would keep Joyce busy 16 to 18 hours a day.

To her and Skeeter family was truly very important, they would drive all over North Dakota to spend time with them. When their children were growing, they went back to Bismarck and Driscoll on a fairly regular basis. When Skeeter’s health declined, they moved back to Williston. After his passing, she went back to work at Curves.
Joyce was a cancer survivor and traveled by herself to Hettinger to see her mother and brother. Later to Bismarck when her mother moved back.

Joyce’s faith was strong and she would lean on that faith in the good, bad and ugly times of her life. Material things didn’t hold much value to her, always more important was family, friends and faith, well books too.
The phrase she said most often was, “Just Remember, I Love You!”

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Irma; her husband, Keith “Skeeter”; infant daughter, Cheryl Ann; son, Quentin; granddaughter, Amanda Joy; great-grandchildren, Jaylee Grace Falcon and Adam Ressler; in-laws, Gordon and Vi Erickson, Colleen “Coke” Aafedt and Herb and Rosalie Fried and brother-in-law, Dick Orne.

She is survived by daughters, Kay Jo, Kathy “Sissy” (Jeff) and Karen (Ward) Salveson; son, James “Jim” (Pam); grandchildren, DeJay (Laura) Falcon, John Stetler (Marissa), Jessica (Tim) Trana, Bradly Kjorstad (Anna), Jacob Erickson, Teanna Erickson, Jordon Erickson, Casey Jones, Spencer Kjorstad, Brandon, Austin and Marrisa Salveson; great-grandchildren, Lyseaunna Trana, Josie Falcon, Alyssa Ressler, Quentin and Mavrick Erickson, Jacey Falcon, Isabelle McMillan, Adalyn Erickson and Emberlee Cortez; sisters, Yvonne Orne, Carol (Lloyd) Meidinger; brother, Rod (Candy) Morast; brother-in-law, Ardean Aafedt; and numerous nieces, nephews, and adopted children (You know who you are!) XOXO.

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