Joan Jurgens

Joan Marlys Jurgens, age 85, of Ortonville, MN, passed away Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Little Hospice in Edina, MN.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ortonville. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Father Brian Oestreich will lead the service and a private inurnment will be held at Mound Cemetery in Ortonville.

Joan Marlys (Kamin) Jurgens was born on December 21, 1937, in Ortonville, MN. She was the daughter of Julius and Cora (Kasuske) Kamin. The family resided on several farms in the area until settling on their farm just east of Ortonville in 1946. Joan attended school both in the country and then later in Ortonville. One of her favorite memories of those years was taking lunch out to her father in the field where they could sit for a bit, share a sandwich and chat. She also enjoyed most (not all) of the various chores like feeding the chickens, geese, and ducks.

Joan was united in marriage to John Jurgens, Jr. on September 12, 1958. A couple of years later, they bought a hardware store and Jurgens Our Own Hardware became the professional focus of their lives going forward. Later, she worked as a bookkeeper at Auchstetter Drug.

Joan was a dedicated member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Ortonville where she was involved in a number of different activities over the years. She loved to sing and was still known to rock the golden oldies and hymns during singalongs at her final residence. She enjoyed sewing and reveled at the day she graduated from an old foot pedal sewing machine to a Singer electric sewing machine. She enjoyed spending time in her yard and garden where she planted many types of vegetables and loved to plant flowers that she could guide through the winter.

Joan always thought that humor and the ability to laugh was an important trait to embrace. She was also committed to the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Dan (Ann Merrill) Jurgens of Edina, MN; and Tamra (Randy Souers) Jurgens of Edina, MN; four grandsons: Seth Jurgens of Seattle, WA; Quinn (Sharon) Jurgens of Eden Prairie, MN; Matt Schaak of Inver Grove Heights, MN; and Adam Schaak of Crystal, MN.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents: Julius and Cora; her stepfather, Allwin “Shorty” Kibler; husband, John; and sister, Marlene Boerger.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that memorials be made in Joan’s name to the following:

Big Stone Health Care Foundation

American Cancer Society