Joellyn Christeson

JoEllyn Christeson, 74, Graceville, MN, passed away Friday, May 6, 2022, at Carris Health in Redwood Falls, MN.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, May 14, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Graceville with Father Brian Oestreich officiating. Music will be provided by organist Deb Needham; accompanist, Barb Christeson; violinist, Emma Koehntop; and vocalists, the Arens Girls.

Burial will be in the Graceville Consolidated Cemetery, Graceville. Urn bearers will be her grandchildren – EJ Campbell, Vanessa Ridl, Michael Wade, Rachel Christeson, TJ Hausmann, Parker Christeson, Dawson Christeson, Haley Christeson, Ryan Koehntop, and Emma Koehntop.

Visitation will be Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church.

JoEllyn Johnson Christeson was born July 14, 1947, to Dale and Lorena (Wooten) Johnson in Eldora, IA. She was baptized at the Congregational Church in Eldora. When Jo was six years old, she and her parents set off for California, pulling a trailer behind the car. They later decided to move to Tucson, AZ. Jo attended school there, graduating from Amphitheater High School in 1966. She met Ernest Robert "Bob" Christeson at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

Jo and Bob were married August 6, 1966, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Collis, MN. They lived on the family farm north of Graceville for the rest of their lives. They were blessed with three children – Dennis Dale, Craig John, and Lisa Ann. Jo enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom and worked various secretarial and health care jobs after raising her family. Bob passed away August 17, 2020.

Jo's hobbies included canning, gardening, baking, sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She also enjoyed playing guitar and drawing. Jo's pride and joy was her family, especially her grandchildren.

Survivors include her two sons, Dennis (Sherry) Christeson of Twenty Nine Palms, CA, and Craig (Sue) Christeson of Watertown, SD; daughter, Lisa (Lucas) Koehntop of Lowry, MN; ten grandchildren, EJ (Kimberly) Campbell, Vanessa (Jeff) Ridl, Michael (Dakota) Wade, Rachel (Steven) Christeson, TJ (Taylor) Hausmann, Parker (Nikki) Christeson, Dawson (Kenzie) Christeson, Haley Christeson, Ryan Koehntop, and Emma Koehntop; nine great-grandchildren; sisters, Carolyn Hardy of Chandler, AZ, and Janet Williams of Chandler, AZ; sisters and brothers-in-law, Paul (Barb) Christeson of Graceville, Ruth Adams of Quincy, MA, Larry (Diane) Christeson of Graceville, and Jerome Hill of Kempner, TX.

Jo was preceded in death by her husband, E. Robert Christeson; a stillborn baby boy; parents, Dale and Lorena; sisters-in-law, Judy Ogdahl and Helen Hill; and brother-in-law, Dale Ogdahl.