Jennifer Odegard

Jennifer Ruth Odegard was born on May 29, 1958 in Willmar, the youngest daughter of Frank and Phyllis "Putter" Wilkins. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith and attended parochial school at St. Mary's Catholic School, graduating from Willmar High School in 1976. Jenny completed the Chef Training Program at Willmar Vo-Tech and earned recognition as a Garmage Chef while residing in Arizona and employed at Elizabeth Arden's ?Main Chance Ranch?, prior to returning to Minnesota in 2000. For the past eight years, she had been employed as the Food & Beverage Coordinator at Prairie's Edge Casino & Resort in Granite Falls. On June 29, 2005, Jenny married Loren Odegard. Among her many interests, Jenny loved the outdoors. She enjoyed camping, hunting, riding horseback trails and country music. She had a deep passion for her animals and took great pride in caring for her dogs, horses and tropical birds. Jenny was also a cancer survivor and was very active in the Yellow Medicine Relay for Life. Jenny entered her Lord's heavenly kingdom on Friday, January 31, 2014, at the Granite Falls Municipal Hospital. She was 55 years of age. She had a zest for life and will be deeply missed. Surviving family include her husband Loren of Sacred Heart; her father Frank Wilkins of Willmar; brother Steven (& Catherine) Wilkins of Scottsdale, AZ: sisters Suzanne (& Thomas) Hanna of Shenandoah, IA and Rebecca (& John) Tompt of Willmar; her father-in-law Wallace Odegard and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother in 2010, her mother-in-law Mildred in 2007, a niece Shelby Johnson and other extended family.