Joyce Praetorius

Joyce Marie Praetorius, age 89, passed peacefully June 29, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz. Joyce was born December 7, l929 in Lincoln County, Wash. to Theodore John Marquardt and Isabella Belle Blair Robertson Marquardt. She graduated from Odessa High School in 1947 and was married June 22, 1947 to Paul (Bud) William Praetorius in Odessa.

Joyce had lived near Odessa most of her life. She spent summers at Badger Lake, near Cheney. She had also lived several years in Spokane and Moses Lake, and spent her last two years living in Tucson.

Bud and Joyce enjoyed many wonderful summer Sundays spent with neighborhood friends and relatives at Tavares Lake, swimming, waterskiing and having potluck picnics.

Joyce always had interesting projects going, such as making concrete arrowhead-shaped step stones and a coffee table embedded with broken pieces of collected Indian artifacts. She grew beautiful roses and amazing pots of geraniums with enormous flowers. She loved listening to music, Billy Vaughn, Celtic and Country. She had a soft spot for animals, often donated to animal rescue organizations and loved her dogs.

Joyce and Bud were great supporters of their children's activities as well as their grandchildren's activities and accomplishments, such as school sports, 4-H competitions or horse shows.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband Paul Praetorius, her parents, her brother Don Marquardt, her son Jeff Praetorius, her grandson Matthew Watson, and her granddaughter Julie Praetorius.

Her surviving family includes four children - Donna Andersen (Peter) of Tucson, Barbara Rector (Steve) of Kent, Wash., Jack Praetorius (Margaret) of Odessa and Leslie Rasulo (Steve) of Boise, Idaho; nine grandchildren Lorri Watson, Sarah Rector, Chris Rector, Michelle Ovens, Jared Praetorius, and Ryan, Marcus, Megan, and Abbie Rasulo; six great grandchildren Robert and Alexander Gonzalez, Willa Rector-Johnson, Chloe, Lucas and Milo Rector and one great-great grandchild, Jamie Gonzalez.

A graveside service will be held at the Odessa Cemetery July 20 at 1 p.m., followed by a gathering at Any Occasion.