Joyce Donohoe

DALLAS, Texas — Joyce Donohoe, 81, Dallas, Texas, died peacefully Feb. 26, 2019.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Yankton, March 30, at 1 p.m., followed immediately by her burial in the Catholic cemetery in Yankton. A family gathering will follow.

Joyce was born June 2, 1937, in Wynot, to Ignatius and Jeanette Heimes. Incredibly smart and funny, Joyce had a huge heart and an ability to focus her attentions and love on whoever she was with. She was loved by all. After fighting polio at age 15, Joyce attended Briar Cliff College, became a social worker and married Jim Donohoe in 1960. While raising her children, she worked with and impacted the lives of many dyslexic children, took up painting, loved bridge, and was cherished by all who knew her. For the last 25 years, Joyce and Jim had a second home in Yankton, S.D., and together with Lyon’s Construction Co., developed the housing project north of 26th and Douglas Street. Friends and family frequently gathered for happy hour in their Yankton home in the summers. Joyce touched many lives. She turned her significant disabilities into positives. She never complained and she was the backbone of her family. Her greatest impact was as a mother to Ann and Michael, to whom she was a living example of love, strength, and how to gracefully deal with success and adversity.

Joyce is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jim Donohoe; her parents; sister, Gail Uhing; and daughter, Maura Donohoe.

Joyce is survived by children, Ann Donohoe King and Chris King, Michael Donohoe and Linda Donohoe; grandchildren, Katherine King, Allison King, Nicholas Donohoe, and Matthew Donohoe; brother, Ken Heimes; and brother, Dean and Bonnie Heimes; sister, Leah Smith; brother-in-law, Francis Uhing; in-laws, Jerry and Elaine Donohoe; cousins, Chuck and Mary Reece, and many other beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cistercian Preparatory School, 3660 Cistercian Road, Irving, TX 75039, or DKMS, 100 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10005.