Donna Jepson
d. January 27, 2017
Donna Orrine (Brownell) Jepson, 88, of Granite Falls, Minnesota, passed away on Friday, January 27th, 2017, at the Clara City Assisted Living Center in Clara City, Minnesota.
Donna was born on April 13th, 1928 in Ellgin, Illinois to Dale and Hazel (Bakke) Brownell. The family moved to Granite Falls in 1932 where she and her younger sister, Joanne, grew up on the family farm. She was confirmed and was a lifelong member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church. She graduated from Granite Falls High School in 1946 and then attended St. Cloud Teachers College for two years before she began teaching in Renville, MN, where she met her future husband, David. They were married on June 21st, 1950 in the basement of the partially constructed Granite Falls Lutheran Church, the first couple to be married in the new building. David and Donna moved onto her mother’s home-place east of Granite Falls where they farmed until retirement.
Donna had a long career teaching elementary school in the area and is fondly remembered by many former students. One of her earliest teaching jobs was in a one-room schoolhouse in Asbury, Minnesota, where she learned to manage six grades. She then taught for two years in Maynard, Minnesota. When son Richard and daughter Janelle were born, Donna took several years at home with them. Donna returned to teaching in 1965 in Wood Lake, Minnesota, where she taught until retirement in 1980. During this time, Donna finished her four-year teaching degree from Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota.
An active member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church, Donna was involved with WELCA and the quilting group, and compiled the church history for its fiftieth anniversary in 1995. Donna was also a very diligent genealogist and completed histories of both her and David’s lineage. Donna and David were members of the Sons of Norway and enjoyed trips to Norway where they found relatives that became dear friends. In their retirement, Donna and David enjoyed many winters with other area snowbirds in Sunland Village, Mesa, Arizona. The most important thing to Donna was her family, and she found lots of joy in watching the many music and sporting events of her children and grandchildren. In her later years she loved visits from her great-grandchildren. Sewing, quilting and needlework were her passion, and the beautiful clothes and quilts that she made for her family members will be cherished forever.
Donna is survived by her husband of sixty-six years, David Jepson, her sister, Joanne Groome of Wetumpka, Alabama; her son Richard (Mary) Jepson of Granite Falls, her daughter Janelle (Steve) Johnson of Northfield, Minnesota; grandchildren Amanda (David) Severtson, Chris (Kim) Jepson, Anne (Kyle) Larson, Erin (Aaron) Bruggeman, and Thomas Johnson; great-grandchildren Julia Severtson, Lauren Severtson, Anna Severtson, Sam Jepson, Jack Jepson, Arthur Bruggeman, and Soren Larson; many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 30th, 2017, at 10:30 AM at Granite Falls Lutheran Church, with Pastors Steve Carmany and Leslie Knutson officiating. Visitation will be held at the Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Granite Falls on Sunday, January 29th, 2017, from 3 to 5 PM, and one hour before the church service on Monday.
Donna was born on April 13th, 1928 in Ellgin, Illinois to Dale and Hazel (Bakke) Brownell. The family moved to Granite Falls in 1932 where she and her younger sister, Joanne, grew up on the family farm. She was confirmed and was a lifelong member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church. She graduated from Granite Falls High School in 1946 and then attended St. Cloud Teachers College for two years before she began teaching in Renville, MN, where she met her future husband, David. They were married on June 21st, 1950 in the basement of the partially constructed Granite Falls Lutheran Church, the first couple to be married in the new building. David and Donna moved onto her mother’s home-place east of Granite Falls where they farmed until retirement.
Donna had a long career teaching elementary school in the area and is fondly remembered by many former students. One of her earliest teaching jobs was in a one-room schoolhouse in Asbury, Minnesota, where she learned to manage six grades. She then taught for two years in Maynard, Minnesota. When son Richard and daughter Janelle were born, Donna took several years at home with them. Donna returned to teaching in 1965 in Wood Lake, Minnesota, where she taught until retirement in 1980. During this time, Donna finished her four-year teaching degree from Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota.
An active member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church, Donna was involved with WELCA and the quilting group, and compiled the church history for its fiftieth anniversary in 1995. Donna was also a very diligent genealogist and completed histories of both her and David’s lineage. Donna and David were members of the Sons of Norway and enjoyed trips to Norway where they found relatives that became dear friends. In their retirement, Donna and David enjoyed many winters with other area snowbirds in Sunland Village, Mesa, Arizona. The most important thing to Donna was her family, and she found lots of joy in watching the many music and sporting events of her children and grandchildren. In her later years she loved visits from her great-grandchildren. Sewing, quilting and needlework were her passion, and the beautiful clothes and quilts that she made for her family members will be cherished forever.
Donna is survived by her husband of sixty-six years, David Jepson, her sister, Joanne Groome of Wetumpka, Alabama; her son Richard (Mary) Jepson of Granite Falls, her daughter Janelle (Steve) Johnson of Northfield, Minnesota; grandchildren Amanda (David) Severtson, Chris (Kim) Jepson, Anne (Kyle) Larson, Erin (Aaron) Bruggeman, and Thomas Johnson; great-grandchildren Julia Severtson, Lauren Severtson, Anna Severtson, Sam Jepson, Jack Jepson, Arthur Bruggeman, and Soren Larson; many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 30th, 2017, at 10:30 AM at Granite Falls Lutheran Church, with Pastors Steve Carmany and Leslie Knutson officiating. Visitation will be held at the Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Granite Falls on Sunday, January 29th, 2017, from 3 to 5 PM, and one hour before the church service on Monday.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donna Jepson, please visit our flower store.