Jeanette Reierson

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Jeanette Eva (Grabanski) Reierson, 79 of Holt, MN died peacefully on October 10, 2017 at the University Of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN with her family by her side. May she be united with her family who has gone before her and her Lord in Heaven. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Holt, MN with Rev. Cathie Rhodes officiating. Burial will follow at the Holt Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Friday, October 20, 2017 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN and one hour prior to the funeral. Jeanette Eva Grabanski was born on December 28, 1937 at the homestead of her maternal grandparents Joseph and Mary (Daucsavage) Kosmatka near Warsaw, ND. She was the oldest of six children of Sylvester and Adeline (Kosmatka) Grabanski. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Stanilaus Catholic Church, and attended the convent school there. During the week she lived with the other children and nuns at the school. The classes were in Polish, and she did not learn to speak English until she moved with her family to Grand Forks, ND at the age of ten. After spending five years at St. Michael’s Catholic School her family moved to Holt, MN where she attended Newfolden High School, graduating in 1956. Jeanette had fond memories of her childhood. She often spoke about going to her grandparents’ farm and playing with her siblings and cousins. Her grandparents immigrated from Poland, and she was raised with good values and a strong pride in her Polish heritage. Jeanette met her future husband, Clifford Reierson while working at Carrie’s Café in Holt. Their first date was on Jeanette’s sixteenth birthday. Cliff took Jeanette to the Avalon Theater where they saw “Old Yeller” and ate at the Dine-A-Mite Drive In. They were married September 29, 1956 at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Holt. They moved to the family farm in Excel Township Marshall County. To this union three children were born; Marty, Marcy, and Mark. Jeanette’s work history began when she was twelve years old at the Kegs Drive-In near her home in Grand Forks, ND. After high school she worked at JC Penney in Thief River Falls, MN. In 1970 Jeanette became one of the first women bus drivers for Marshall County Central schools and drove bus for over twenty years in addition to working on the farm and raising a family. In 1995 she became a District Representative for Aid Association for Lutherans. Jeanette learned to use a computer and took insurance credentialing tests in her fifties. She was instrumental in raising money for families in need. After retirement she worked at Mickelson Eye Clinic. Jeanette was a great cook, and loved to bake. She was known for her doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, homemade bread, wedding cakes, and lefsa. On weekends she would decorate wedding, graduation, and confirmation cakes for people in the community. For over thirty years she is best known in Marshall County for making thousands of lefsa annually at the Marshall County Fair in Warren, MN and the Middle River Goose Festival. Jeanette and Cliff traveled to many places. Highlights included a cruise to the Caribbean, a drive to Alaska, and trips to Oregon, Washington, Texas, Arizona, and California. Their happiest times were on the farm entertaining family and friends in their home. The coffee pot was always on and people were welcome to stop by at any time. Jeanette had many lifelong friends and enjoyed playing whist, dancing, reading, movies, walking, and traveling. Jeanette and her sister Phyllis walked in many marathons. They traveled to Poland to meet cousins. They toured Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland. Jeanette has been an active member of Nazareth Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, served as Sunday School Superintendent, lay reader, deacon, circle president, quilter’s guild, and chairperson for the annual fall dinner. Jeanette was a volunteer on the Area Food Shelf Board, Happy Holt Homemakers Study Group, driver for Marshall County Social Services, 4-H leader, Holt Cemetery Board, Thrivent Financial Board for Marshall County, and Holt Keenagers. Jeanette spent many hours helping at the Thief River Care Center, and in 2013 received the Volunteer of the Year Award. In 2014 Jeanette was honored as Outstanding Senior Citizen representing the Holt Community at the Marshall County Fair. She was a very caring and giving person, willing to help whenever it was needed. Jeanette was the first to volunteer for anything and the last to leave when there was work to be done. In 2013 Jeanette was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and in 2016 developed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She continued to be active, helping others, and remained strong in her courageous battle with cancer until the time of her passing. Survivors include her daughter Marcy (Dr. Craig) Mickelson, Thief River Falls, MN; son Mark (Jody) Reierson, Holt, MN; anddaughter-in-law Gloria Reierson,  Thief River Falls, MN; five grandchildren: Paul, Amy, Andrea, Brady (Katy), and Adam Reierson; three great-grandchildren: Elena Staite, Addalynn Reierson, and Kyleigh Voit; sisters: Phyllis Martin, Shoreview, MN; Rose Eichorn, Andover, MN; brother-in-law: James Martin, Shoreview, MN; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Cliff; son, Marty Reierson; infant grandson: Luke Reierson; parents: Sylvester and Adeline Grabanski; brother: Carmen Grabanski; sisters: Sylvia Grabanski and Audrey Rude; niece: Jill Rude; sister-in-law: Maxine Reierson; brothers-in-law: Ernest Rude, Bruce Eichorn, and Vernon Reierson. Family condolences may be sent by visiting www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

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