On Friday, December 31, 2010, Joyce Robertson, age 82 years, 10 months and 21 days died with dignity and grace, with the presence of her family, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The oldest of the six children born of Herbert and Margaret (Crawford) Lettner, Joyce Marie Lettner was born Feb 10th, 1928 during a snowstorm at the family's farm in Irish Valley, Waumundee, Wisconsin. Joyce graduated from high school in 1945, having attended her first 8 years of school in a one-room school house in Centerville, followed by four years at Healy Memorial High School -- a four-room school in nearby Trempealeau, Wisconsin. In 1949 Joyce graduated from the college of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition. Following an internship in clinical dietetics at Ancker Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Joyce moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1950, where she took a position as a registered dietitian at Luther Hospital. Joyce Lettner became the wife of Daniel F. Robertson on September 19, 1953 at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Eau Claire. Four children were born into this family: Sue Ellen, Mary Carol, Paul, and Janet. Joyce's professional career encompassed a variety of roles and positions, that of clinical dietitian, educator, consultant, preceptor, and lastly, volunteer. Her places of employment included Luther Hospital, the Clairemont Nursing Home, the Eau Claire County Hospital, Chippewa Valley Technical College, and the Visiting Nurses Association-department of aging. Her enthusiasm for her chosen career, as well as her energy and organizational abilities lead to her volunteer work, where she served as president of the Eau Claire County Mental Health Association, and was a member of the Step Force crew at Luther Hospital. Her commitment to her profession was evident by her 50 year membership in the American Dietetic Association, of which she was a charter member. For this, she was recognized at the ADA national convention in 2000. She was a highly respected clinical preceptor for a number of novice dietetic students. Joyce is survived by Daniel Robertson, her husband of 57 years, and their children, Sue Ellen Robertson of Viola, WI, Paul (Carol) of Eau Claire, WI, Janet (Lance) Johnson of Oronoco, MN; grandchildren, Jason, Mariah, Lara Rose (Dan), Jamison, Josie, Melanie and Joshua; great-grandchildren, Jorden, Jonathen, Justen, Mason, and Olivia. Joyce is further survived by her siblings, Richard Lettner, Robert (Phyllis) Lettner, Jean Lettner, Mary Lou (Joseph) Paurazas, and Carol (Raymond) Krizmanic. Preceding her in death are her parents; daughter, Mary Carol Peterson in 2009; and grandson Axel Johnson, also in 2009. Joyce was a woman of faith, who loved her family, the beauty of flowers and of nature, feeding and watching birds, preparing and enjoying foods for and with others, spirited conversation, and reading books of all sorts. She truly enjoyed her kitchen, and her delights in the culinary arts have been instilled through all the generations, as they learned from her the intricacies of building gingerbread houses. Visitation will be held at the Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 4th 2011 from 4 until 7p.m. with a prayer service at 6:30. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to services at the church. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11a.m. on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011, at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Altoona, WI, where Joyce and Dan have been members for 52 years. Father Joseph Redfern will be officiating services. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Eau Claire.

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