Joanne 'Jo' Marie Kirchner

Mankato Mortuary 1001 N. Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 388-2202 Joanne "Jo" Marie Kirchner, age 83, of Mankato passed away on October 30, 2014, at 4 p.m. at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA.(Her husband, Bernard's 88th Halloween birthday would have been the following day) A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 19, 2014, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 720 S. 2nd Street, Mankato with Rev. Jay Dahlvang, officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m., Tuesday at the church and will continue one hour before service at the church on Wednesday. Burial will be in Minneopa Cemetery, rural Mankato. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Joanne Marie Jameson was born at the Waseca Hospital, Minnesota on December 8, 1930, to parents Vera Rosella (Olsen) and Melvin Theodore Jameson. Joanne's uncle, Alfred Wadd who was the Waseca County Sheriff and his wife, Mary later donated their home & land to expand that Hospital which is now the Mayo Clinic Health System-Waseca. Joanne attended Waterville Elementary School and graduated from Waterville High School in 1948. Joanne attended the last WHS class reunion in 2013. When Joanne was 14 years old, she lovingly welcomed & named her only sibling, Tamera. Joanne had a passion for music & played the piano with zest. She dated a handsome guy, Bernard "Ben" Kirchner, while in high school, but he left the area to join the Army. "Hardeggers" was their favorite dancing spot with close friends, Vi & Rod Lamont. Joanne & Ben were married on July 13, 1948 at Grace Lutheran Church in Mankato. They were blessed with two darling baby boys, Thomas Arthur in 1949 & Bruce Allen in 1951. Joanne was a stay at home Mom for many years. She loved needlework, cooking, babies, family, & God. She endured many life changing hardships. Her father died in an auto accident when she was 28 years old, she endured two major floods in Mankato while living in the Sibley Park area, her teenage son was partially blinded while in high school and then he passed away at 38 years. Finally the love of her life Ben, having been married for 65 years passed five months ago... Joanne grieved deeply for him. Joanne worked as a Senior Aide at the Mankato Lutheran Home for 23 years & received high accolades from the staff upon her retirement. Joanne was a true believer in the Lord & was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She enjoyed Bible studies & lived God's word not just on Sunday's but every day. She was a gift of joy & hope to her husband, sons, parents, sister, relatives, & friends. Joanne is survived by her son, Thomas A. Kirchner of Mankato; sister, Tamera Berg and brother-in-law Allen Berg; niece, Nicole Berg; nephew, Jon-Michael Berg all of Dana Point, CA; sister-in-law, Donna Kirchner of Rochester & her children, Carole Fickert of Rochester, Georgia Kirchner of Mankato, Linda Paulson (Dale) of Minnesota, Kathy Moffett of California, Frances Ingham of Wisconsin, Robert Kirchner of Montana; Bernard's brother Joseph's children, Michael Kirchner (Ellen) of Farmington, Mark Kirchner of Omaha, NE, and Timothy Kirchner (Marlene) of Sarasota, FL. Joanne was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bernard on May, 17, 2014; son, Bruce on March 20, 1990; her parents, Vera Jameson in 2000 and Melvin Jameson in 1959; brothers-in-law, Joseph Kirchner and wife, Arlene, and brother-in-law, Richard Kirchner.