Funeral Services for John Gerald Janssen are set at Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton, MN on Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Doug Minton officiating. The organist is Kathy Schwartz. The pallbearers are his grandchildren. Interment is at Slayton Memorial Gardens in Slayton, MN.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the Totzke Funeral Home in Slayton, MN from 4-6 p.m. and also one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com
John Janssen was born on March 26, 1924 on the family farm near Worthington, Minnesota to John and Grace Rieken Janssen. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. The family later moved to a farm near Lake Sarah in Murray County, Minnesota. On June 1, 1948 he and Elaine Lauck were married at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Worthington. Following their marriage they farmed near Bigelow, MN and later near Wilmont, MN until 1970 when they purchased a farm north of Slayton. They retired in 2008 but remained on the farm until 2010. They then moved to Westside Apartments in Slayton and remained there until 2013 when they moved in with their daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and George Bowman in Marshall, MN. Elaine passed away on February 17, 2014.
John passed away on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at the age of 93.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton where he served as elder and usher. John kept a daily journal until 2008. He enjoyed going back through his journals as well as the many scrapbooks that Elaine made.
Survivors include his three children and their spouses, Ellen and Gary Bergman of Grand Forks, ND, Gerald and Deb Janssen of Balaton, MN and Marilyn and George Bowman of Marshall, MN, eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Elaine, two brothers, Reinold and Clarence Janssen and one sister, Anora Malenke.