Joanne Muriel Troudt, 86, passed away early Friday, June 4, 2021, in her home at Brookdale, Mountain Valley Park, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Joanne was born January 4, 1935 in Adrian, Minnesota to her parents Austin R. and Ruth (Thompson) Madison. She was the second of five children in her family. She was the wife of Marvin Troudt and the mother of four daughters:  Roxanne, Sandra, Stephanie and Colleen.

At the age of 11, Joanne moved with her family from Rushmore, Minnesota to Greeley, where she attended church and schools in the Greeley area.

In 1953, Joanne graduated from Gill High School as the valedictorian of her class and was one of the first women ever awarded the coveted Boettcher Foundation Scholarship. On her parents 22 ^nd wedding anniversary, August 29, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, Marvin Troudt, also of Gill.

This young couple began their lives together by starting their own farming business. They farmed in the Gill, Kuner, Platteville, Wiggins, and Fort Morgan communities for 53 years. Joanne was essential to the daily details of the farming and livestock operation. In the early years, they even had a dairy of milk cows. Joanne was a hard-working, dedicated farmer's wife. She raised a large garden each summer and enjoyed tending to her flowers around the yard. She shared and canned the bounty of her garden's fruits and vegetables (mainly tomatoes & zucchini) each fall.  She would work in the fields on the tractor in the spring, help with irrigating in the summer, and drive trucks for harvest in the fall. All the while, making delicious noontime meals for her family and other farmhands.

When finances necessitated, Joanne would find employment "in town", she worked at a State Farm Regional Office, Hewlett-Packard, the Wiggins Grocery Store, and for the US Postal Service as a Rural Delivery Driver with the Brush Post Office.  But always, as soon as possible, she would return to her favorite place: the farm working alongside Marvin.

The farm was her home, and her house was her sanctuary, where she welcomed all who visited. Joanne was a polished hostess who loved to entertain her family and friends with accomplished menus served with absolute skill. So many of her recipes are classics but her light, croissant-like dinner rolls always drew fantastic praises.

In each community where Joanne lived, she was actively involved in her church and neighborhood. She enjoyed teaching Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, singing with the Ladies Chorus, working with the Ladies Aid and visiting those in need.

With neighbors and friends, she rode bikes, belonged to a community-wide social club, bowling leagues, a book club, a writing club and multiple bridge clubs, but her absolute favorite was the "Bridge Gals". Joanne loved to play cards, games, bingo, and cheer for the Denver Broncos. She always made her many social gatherings a special time with her remarkable, contagious laugh!

Joanne fiercely loved her grandchildren Laurel, Patrick and Kellen. She enjoyed watching them grow up and developed a deep-lasting bond with each of them. She traveled as often as time and distance would allow to as many of their activities as she could. One time, she even filled-in as a high school volleyball coach at a district tournament until coaches who were lost and late arrived.

But her love grew exponentially, when her 3 great-grandchildren were born. She would be giddy watching Jack, Leah, and Haley play.

Joanne is survived by her children, Roxanne Troudt, Greeley; Sandy Troudt and Nanci Hopper, North Richland Hills TX; Colleen and David Miller, Colorado Springs. Also, her grandchildren, Laurel and Brian Stone, Littleton, Patrick Miller, Denver, and Kellen Miller, Cave Junction, OR. And especially, the great-grandchildren Jack, Leah, and Haley Stone. Other survivors are her sisters, Judy Garwood, and Sara Jane Mullen, sister-in-law Dawne Madison and numerous nephews and nieces. Joanne is preceded in death by her husband, Marvin, her daughter Stephanie, her brothers Jim (Sako) Madison, Gary (Clara) Madison, brother-in-law, David Mullen and her parents.

Funeral Services will be held 10:30, Thursday, June 17 at Immanuel Evangelical Church, 318 W.7 ^th Ave in Fort Morgan. Interment will follow at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Fort Morgan, followed by a luncheon at the church. Memorial contributions may be made in Joanne's memory to Immanuel Evangelical Church and be sent to Heer Mortuary, 225 E Platte Ave., Fort Morgan, CO 80701.

"Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him…"