Karen Brandell

Karen Marie Brandell, 82, Rosholt, died Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Tekakwitha Living Center in Sisseton, SD.

Funeral services will be held Monday, April 21, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in New Effington with Vicar Pat Schubert officiating.  Organist Debbie Bredvik and vocalists Melanie Yost, Janeen Kohl, and Linda Loberg will present music.

The service will be livestreamed on the First, Faith, and Our Savior's Lutheran Parishes Facebook page.

Burial will be in the Claire City Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be the staff of Countryside Inn and Tekakwitha Living Center.  Active pallbearers will be Lonny Brandell, Dré Brandell, Joel Kemnitz, Robert Vandeputte, Dave Krueger, Scott Foltz, and Ryan Foltz.

Visitation will be Monday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Karen was born on June 9, 1942, in Sisseton, SD, to Harold and Delores (Vig) Hendren.  Her family lived in Sisseton and Minneapolis.  She married John (Jack) Brandell at First Lutheran Church in Claire City on July 1, 1961.  To this union three sons were born, Lonny, David, and Jason.

Karen was a hardworking woman all her life.  She worked at Cornelius then Alumacraft in Minneapolis where she learned the art of fiberglass repair.  Jack and Karen moved to Claire City in 1971 and purchased Brandell's Store, which they operated until 1983. They purchased Jack's Supper Club in Victor, which the family ran until 1992. Karen and Jack moved to Sisseton and built and operated Jack-Son's restaurant.  They then moved to Rosholt, and she worked at the Rosholt Care Center as a nursing assistant and cook.  Her last job was being the first cook at Countryside Inn Assisted Living.

Karen was able to "whip up" a meal at a moment's notice and everyone was always welcome to sit down for a cup of coffee.  She enjoyed genealogy, playing cards, sewing, crocheting, listening to country western music or watching a Hallmark movie.

Preceding her in death are her husband, Jack; parents, Harold Hendren, and Art and Delores Rolstad; father and mother-in-law, Earl and Frances Brandell; brothers, Ron Hendren and Daniel Hendren; and brothers-in-law, Milton Kemnitz and Ron Spitzer.

Survivors include three sons, Lonny and Teresa Brandell and children Nicole (Scott) Foltz, Amy (Ric) Ochs, Jamie (Perlita) Gruenwald, Mindy (Ryan) Foltz, Melissa (Dave) Krueger and Jesse Gruenwald; David Brandell and Charles Vandeputte and sons Robert (Bridget) Vandeputte and Jonathan Brandell; and Jason and Sheila Brandell and children Hope (Tyce Hansen) and Dré (Kiki Dahlman); several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; her siblings, Dennis Hendren, Dick (Ramona) Hendren, Kathy Hayes, and Cheryl (David) Gravdahl; and her sisters-in-law, Doris Kemnitz, Bonnie Brandell, Maria Hendren and Jan Lowe.