Jeanne Wendell

Jeanne M. Wendell, of Albert Lea, passed away September 25, 2020 at St. John’s Lutheran Community, Albert Lea MN. She was 90 years old.

A memorial service will take place at 11:30AM on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at Bonnerup Funeral Service -  Albert Lea with burial following at St. Theodore Cemetery. Friends may join us for a visitation at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Father Kurt Farrell will officiate. The service will also be livestreamed on the Bonnerup website.  To view the livestream, go to www.bonnerupfuneralservice.com, go to her obituary page, and click the livestream link below the wording of the obituary.

Jeanne was born on March 24, 1930 to Steven and Catherine (Lennon) in Faribault, MN. She worked for 35 years at Boyd & Jacks. She then spent 13 years working at the Albert Lea Community Childcare Center as a Teacher’s Assistant. This was very important to Jeanne as she was always delighted to be working with and around children. Over the years, Jeanne would always rave that she had such fantastic bosses.

Jeanne and her friend Donna Meirose formed many close relationships in the community frequently becoming a close part of other families. Jeanne and Donna enjoyed travel together and at times with friends. They also made friends with others on their journeys. During times of sickness they provided care and support to many and for each other.

Of all of Jeanne’s loves, her main focuses in life were her faith in God, encouraging all the children she had the joy of spending time with and loving ALL people. As much love as Jeanne gave, she received by expectant mothers who came to visit her at the candy counter and the children who would make special trips to see her. Jeanne’s mantra to live by was to always ‘follow God’s plans’.  As she became homebound and then during her time at St. John’s, Jeanne continued ministering to others through an outreach of phone calls and prayers.

Many years were spent collecting interesting rocks, decorating Ukrainian eggs and taking as many photographs as she could, especially of the children at St. Theodore’s School for the yearbook. Jeanne was very generous with her time and volunteered often for the school at different events and with her photography skills. She could always be counted on to bring smiles to the faces of the people she came to meet, especially the staff and residents at St. John’s. Jeanne was very close to her great-niece, Jamie Green.  She was looking forward to the birth of Jamie’s child viewing the birth of a baby as life going on.  Jamie’s baby, Jeanne’s great-great niece, Mazzy, was born on October 10, 2020.

Jeanne is survived by her sisters, Evelyn Brackey and Kathleen Raskob; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Steven and Catherine; sisters, Anna Mae Tuttle and Maxine Cumpian; niece Kathy Brackey (the new baby’s grandmother) and her special friend Donna Meirose.