About Joy

Joy Hohn, is a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, family farmer and distinguished commercial pilot. She is a lifelong resident of Minnehaha County where she and her husband, Rod, farm alongside her father, brother, and two college-age children raising corn, soybeans, cattle, and buffalo.

­Rooted in faith, family and farming

Raised working in the field, Joy is deeply rooted in faith, family, honesty, integrity, and abiding by the “Golden Rule” in treating others as you would like to be treated.

Driven by a servant heart

Joy is a dedicated and compassionate advocate. She and her family have cared for her elderly parents for nearly a decade to keep them on the farm, where her 104-year-old father remains today. They have also prioritized his involvement in the church, community and the Flying Farmers organization. She has also been active in Minnehaha County, as a student mentor, leader, and volunteer for youth organizations, children’s education, and her church.

Leadership from the ground up

Joy’s leadership skills were seeded on the farm, proven in the air and expanded in her grassroots efforts advocating for property rights and local control with others across the state.

Trusted and steadfast aviator

Inspired by her father, a World War II veteran who encouraged her to fly, Joy was the first female airline pilot in South Dakota. She has logged nearly 13,000 hours of accident and incident-free flying, both domestically and internationally, as a Captain and First Officer in her 40-year career. Joy currently works as a charter pilot, check airman and instructor pilot for Legacy Aviation and operates her private contract service, Adele Aire, LLC.

Relentless rights advocate

Joy has been a champion and vocal advocate for personal property rights since the Dakota Access pipeline divided their three-generation farm in 2016.

Care for her community

Her grassroots involvement with Landowners for Eminent Domain Reform (LEDR) to raise awareness on property rights, has brought her closer to the people of Minnehaha County. It has also spurred her active role in local and state government working with citizens, municipalities, commissioners, legislators and others across the state to preserve Constitutional rights.

Joy is a graduate of West Central High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Aviation and Business Administration from Augustana College. She enjoys spending time with her family and outdoors in addition to traveling, gardening and hunting.