Joan Whetham, age 85, died Monday, August 29, 2016, at Riverview Healthcare Community in Flandreau, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 1, 2016, at the United Methodist Church in White, with interment in Greenwood Cemetery, Brookings. Visitations will precede services at the church on Thursday.

Elsie Joan (Keller) Whetham was born February 12, 1931, near Elkton, South Dakota, to Ralph and Elsie (Moulton) Keller. She spent her first 14 years on a farm near Elkton until the family moved to a farm near Bushnell. She grew up with two brothers and two sisters. She attended country schools through the eighth grade and graduated from Elkton High School. She attended college and received her master's degree in education. She was a dedicated teacher in the state of South Dakota, retiring in 2008. She received an award from the Governor for teaching 59 years.

On October 12, 1972, Joan married William Whetham at Sterling Methodist Church. She enjoyed reading, raising flowers and gardening, square dancing, and especially enjoyed visiting her family and friends.

Survivors include her husband, William Whetham; two sisters: Shirley (Earl) Hamer of Brookings, and Janice (Ernest) Hamer of White; two sisters-in-law: Viola (Bauman) Keller of Lake Preston and Diana (Johnson) Keller of Fergus Falls; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: James and Gene Keller; and a nephew, Kenneth Hamer.