Obituary of Joel L. Hiestand

Joel L. Hiestand, 83, of Ephrata, PA, entered heaven’s gates on Monday, January 5, 2026 at Mount Hope Nazarene Retirement Community in Manheim. Joel was the son of the late John G. and Mabel (Markey) Hiestand. He was the husband of Carole L. (Peiffer) Hiestand for 64 years on June 24.

Joel was a committed Christian and was a 41-year member of New Holland Church of the Nazarene where he enjoyed his ministry of being a greeter and interacting with the children. He graduated from Ephrata High School in 1960. Joel was employed as a truck driver for Earl Martin Trucking in East Earl for 16 years and finished his truck driving career in 2002 when he retired from Oehme Carriers.

Joel was a humble and quiet man who possessed an endearing sense of humor He was content with life’s simple pleasures like making memories with his family during annual trips to the beach and to Knoebels Amusement Park. He also enjoyed owning classic cars and attending car cruises, and taking train excursions and ocean cruises. Joel enjoyed watching football and was an avid Redskins fan. Throughout his lifetime, he had a passion for owning Border Collies and was especially attached to Nixy and Lily.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Holly A., wife of Darrell R. Kunkle, of Denver, PA; two daughters-in-law, Whitney (Hiestand) Zimmerman of Ephrata and Janette Hiestand of Hackettstown, NJ; four grandchildren, Randall J. Hiestand, Amy M. Myers, Victoria R. Gelatt, and Jeremiah J. Hiestand; a great grandson, Leon Nolt; and a sister-in-law, Phyllis Hiestand of Elizabethtown. He was also preceded in death by two sons, Joel Scott Hiestand and Mark Curtis Hiestand; and two siblings, John M. Hiestand and June Zell.

Thank you to Mount Hope nursing staff for their compassionate care of Joel over the last two years.

A celebration of Joel’s life will be held at the convenience of the family. Please omit flowers. If desired, contributions may be made to Mount Hope Nazarene Retirement Community, 3026 Mount Hope Home Road, Manheim, PA 17545. To express a condolence with the family or for additional information, visit www.spencefuneralservices.com.