Joy Kahl

Joy E. Kahl was born in Clifford, ND to Alfred Rygg and Florence Rygg on April 18, 1933. The family later moved to Maddock, North Dakota, where she resided until graduation from high school in 1951. Joy's name fit her to a tee. She was full of joy and loved being the center of attention, dancing and singing. She was a daddy's girl and he doted on her throughout his life. She was a fashionista and always had to have the nicest clothes.

She attended one year of college and during summer vacation she met her future husband, Charles, while he was surveying in Maddock. At the first sight of him, she told her friend, "I'm going to marry that man someday".

Joy and Charles were married on August 22, 1954 in Maddock, North Dakota. Their daughter Lori was born in 1955 and son Tom was born in 1957. Joy quit work to raise her children for several years while Charles attended NDSU to obtain his civil engineering degree. When Lori and Tom were school age, she went to work at the Fargo Clinic as a lab technician until her retirement in 1996. She loved her job and the students she taught. They were the highlight of her many years of working. Her students meant everything to her! As they always said she was the "life of the party”.

Joy loved scrapbooking and her flowers. She would make scrapbooks after every trip she took.

After her retirement in 1996, she and Charles spent 16 years traveling throughout the United States with their dear friends. They spent summers at their lake cabin on Big Detroit in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Their traveling days ended when Joy was diagnosed with frontal-temporal lobe dementia in the fall of 2011. Charles cared for Joy in their home until he suffered a stroke in September of 2021. Joy was then placed in the memory care unit at Rosewood on Broadway (now SMP Health - St. Catherine North) where she remained until her death. Charles died on April 15, 2023.

Joy died on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at SMP Health - North Campus assisted by HIA Hospice of Fargo. The family would like to extend their appreciation to the dedicated staff at SMP Health - North who became her family for 4-1/2 years and HIA Hospice for their excellent care during Joy's last few days.

Joy is survived by her daughter, Lori (Mark) Thrall, Fargo, ND; her son Tom (Dawn) Kahl, Fargo, ND; three grandchildren¨ Ryan (Pakou) Van Dyke, Andrea (Tyler) LaMont, and Logan (Maddison) Kahl; five great-grandchildren: Gavin LaMont, Kinley Lamont, Mason Yang, Ariya Van Dyke, and Emerson Kahl. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Kahl, brother Doug Rygg, and her parents, Alfred and Florence Rygg.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Joy's honor to HIA Hospice - Fargo.

Celebration of Life Service: Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 2PM, at West Funeral Home, West Fargo, ND, with visitation one hour before the service.

Interment: Clifford Cemetery, Clifford, ND.

West Funeral Home & Life Tribute Center

westfuneralhome.com

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