Joyce Norrgard Burkhalter

Funeral service for Mrs. Joyce Luella Norrgard Burkhalter will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday, November 11, 2021, at Christ the King Lutheran Church with Rev. John Karle officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Lawn Cemetery, Natchitoches, LA. Visitation will be Thursday, November 11th from 11 AM until service time at Christ the King Lutheran Church located at 305 Royal Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457. Joyce, 93 years of age and a resident of Natchitoches, passed away on Thursday, November 4, 2021. She was born on June 25, 1928 to Verner Norrgard and Helga Johnson Norrgard in Milaca, MN. On Thursday the 4th of November she was reunited in heaven with her husband, Alton Ray Burkhalter; her parents, Verner and Helga Norrgard; a son-in-law, Louis David Cox; a sister; and five brothers, of which she was the last surviving sibling of a large family. She is survived by her daughter, Amy Cox; sons, Alton G. Burkhalter and his wife Erika and Craig Burkhalter and his wife Rita. She was blessed with six grandchildren, Ginger Couvillion, Holly Morrison, Stephen Burkhalter, Ethan Burkhalter, Ashley Bolling, and Katie Burkhalter; as well as eight great grandchildren, Gwendolyn Couvillion, Isabella Joyce Couvillion, Rose Mary Couvillion, Abigail Couvillion, Kimberly Anslem, Christopher Morrison, Harper Bolling, and Elliot Putnam. Joyce was deeply rooted in her faith and was proud to be a founding member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Natchitoches. Her greatest treasure on earth was her family, whom she loved in a special way. She worked for many years as the secretary for the ROTC program at NSU. In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening and always produced the largest and best tasting tomatoes of anyone around. She loved knitting and was an excellent baker of homemade bread and treats, that she gladly shared with her family and friends. Joyce was a literature buff, especially with poetry, and could recite poetry she learned as a young lady. Even though she blessed this earth with 93 years, deep in her heart she couldn’t wait to go to heaven and see her Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face. Her legacy will always be a part of our lives and we take comfort in knowing we will be reunited with her in heaven one day.