Roxene Joneson, 43, Rapid City, died at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001.

Roxene Joneson was born 12-11-57 in Huron, S.D., to Don and Ruth Thaden of Bancroft, S.D. She was raised on the family farm north of Bancroft. Her family moved to DeSmet in 1972. She was active throughout the community: a church pianist, tour guide for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Association, high school band member, and baton twirler. She participated in many competitions in performing arts, and the character traits developed there flowed through the rest of her life.

After graduating from DeSmet, she attended SDSU, majoring in Textiles and Clothing with a minor in piano. She was in the Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band, a little sister for the AGR Fraternity, an orientation guide for incoming freshman, and a pianist at campus ministry centers. During college she participated in local preliminaries of the Miss America Pageant. She won Miss Huron/State Fair in 1979 and was in the 1980 Miss South Dakota Pageant.

She joined JCPenney in Rapid City after college and was a senior merchandise manager at the store until the time of her illness. She and Mark were married 5-23-81 and lived in Rapid City the rest of her life. Her love of the piano was displayed throughout her life, playing for church, weddings and school events.

Her life was a particular blessing to her husband, Mark; her sons, Michael and Brooks; her father, Don; and brothers, Tom and Dave. Her mother, Ruth, went to heaven ahead of her.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. today at the Osheim-Catron Funeral Home.

The celebration of her life will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, at South Canyon Baptist Church in Rapid City with Rev. Tom Voigt officiating. Interment will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park in Rapid City.

A memorial has been established.