Janet Konezny Funeral

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Janet Catherine (Gossman) Konezny passed away peacefully at Friendship Village in Bloomington, Minnesota on April 18, 2023. She was six days shy of her 90th birthday.

Janet was born on April 24, 1933 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lee and Lucille (Hanlon) Gossman. She grew up in Minneapolis with her two brothers, David and Dennis, and was only 15 years old when her father passed away. Janet graduated from the Academy of the Holy Angels in 1951, then attended Minnesota Business College and the Estelle Compton Modeling School.

In 1958, Janet was hired as a Stewardess with Northwest Orient Airlines. It was a glamorous and prestigious position during the Golden Age of air travel. She flew for three years, excelled at the job, embraced the opportunity to travel, and glowingly reminisced about her experiences. She made lifelong friends and was active in the leadership of the Northwest Orient Airlines Ex-Stewardess Association for many years.

On April 22, 1961, Janet married the love of her life, Roman (Ray) Konieczny. The couple raised three sons, John, Ronald, and Gregory, in Edina. She was a supportive spouse to Ray and a devoted mother to the boys. She was a constant presence at their sporting events, cherished weekend trips to their cabin on Woman Lake and adored the family dog, Razzle. She told everyone she met incredibly detailed stories about her sons and their families.

After raising their three sons, Janet worked as an Office Manager for Hennepin County's Children & Family Services at Sabathani Community Center for over 10 years. She was also a tour guide for Leimandt Convention & Tours and a top salesperson for Holiday Clubs International and Minnesota Rusco.

Janet was a devout Catholic and had an unwavering faith in God. She was also very proud of her Irish heritage. Janet was passionate about the visual arts, traveling, and meeting new people. She enjoyed walking in Bredeson Park, joining friends for coffee at Jerry's Foods, and hearing other people's stories. Her six grandchildren brought her incredible joy and she was enthusiastic about supporting them and attending their events.

Janet is survived by her sons, John of St. Louis Park, Ronald (Jeryn) of Deephaven, and Gregory (Susan) of Edina; and her six grandchildren, Adelaide, Emma and Hannah Konezny, and Chase, Roman and Stuart Konezny. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Roman (Ray) Konezny; her parents, Lee Gossman and Lucille (Hanlon) Rock; and her brothers, David and Dennis Gossman.

Mass of Christian Burial, Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 5071 Eden Ave. Edina. Visitation on Monday May 8, 2023 from 4 to 7 PM at Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel, and prior to Mass. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities in Janet's honor.

Joseph Christensen Funeral

Friday, April 14, 2023 | 11:00 AM

With great sorrow, the Christensen, Arms and Halverson families commemorate the passing of our kind, brave, generous, and immeasurably creative and artistic son, brother, father, and friend, Joseph Michael Christensen, also known as Joey. 

Joey was most proud of his children, Stella, Rose and Luke, and considered each of them his true friend. He basked in Rose’s accomplishments in sports and her passion, smile, and kindness, in Stella’s academic focus, humor and resilience, and he loved spending time with Luke, playing video games or hanging out in his studio; they spent many hours keeping each other company. He loved his large and sprawling family, and Molly, his friend and former spouse of many years, with whom he co-parented their children.  

A passionate consumer of culture, a follower of the zeitgeist, and a runner of long distances, Joey was a well-known, respected and prolific artist, a painter and sculptor most well-known for his singular ability and talent in the world of ceramics. In his own words, Joey captured his art form: The nature of clay is to bring to life any form that one can imagine, and skill will allow for. The fluid nature of turning a pot on the wheel brings the mind to the still point that seems to be so lacking in life. Time seems to flow away. 

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota on January 9, 1973, Joey grew up in Eagan with his parents, Joe and Teresa, brother Matt, and two sisters, Melissa and Mary. The family enjoyed summers at the Whitefish Chain, a place that inspired Joey with a love of nature, fishing, and being in the woods. He spent formative years working in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. He attended St. John's University, where he grew his talent for ceramics under the instruction of Sister Dennis Frandrup O.S.B. Upon graduation, Joe worked for a variety of established potteries, eventually securing an apprenticeship with Mark Hewitt in Pittsboro, North Carolina. During his time at the Hewitt’s, Joe became part of their family. In addition to pottery, Joe learned much about organic gardening, how to balance family life and being an artist, and, in the aftermath of Hurricane Fran, how to chop down trees. It was also in North Carolina that Joe pursued training for and competing in triathlons. As with many things Joe attempted, he didn’t just participate in these events, but won them through the combination of talent, hard work, and ambition. These qualities also helped him run a successful art business for over 25 years. The very best of all his wonderful traits endure in the three beautiful children he and Molly share.  

Joe is survived by his children, Stella Catherine (19), Rose Keenan (15) and Luke Beaudoin (9), their mother, Molly Christensen; his parents, Joseph J. and Teresa Christensen; Siblings Matt (Ruth), Melissa (Christopher) and Mary Teresa (Tyson), Irish sister Rebecca (Mickey) and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles who are devastated by the loss of Joey. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Joey’s children at either  GoFundMe or to a trust set up by Joe’s parents for the benefit of his children:  The J. M. Christensen Children’s Fund, 5101 Vernon Ave. S., Suite 400, Edina, MN 55436.

Jack Mertes Funeral

Friday, May 19, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Jack Albert Mertes, age 93 of Edina. Husband. Dad. Grandpa. Athlete. Artist. Musician. Storyteller. Medical miracle. Gently passed away on March 1, 2023, with loved ones by his side.

Jack was born in Winona and graduated from Winona High School in 1947, where he was a 9-time letter winner in football, basketball, baseball and band. In football, Jack was a Big Nine Conference All Star at Winona and was a University of Minnesota Golden Gopher playing for coach Bernie Bierman and Butch Nash. Jack was one of the last of the “Bernie’s Boys” and a Golden Gopher for life. In baseball, Jack served as captain of the Winhawks, pitched for the American Legion Winona Post 9 team, the Winona Dukes of the Junior Southern Minnesota League, spent a season at St. Mary's College and, at the U of M, lead his fraternity (ATO) to the intramural championship after pitching 3 games in 2 days. In his post-college days, Jack played handball and tennis, mainly for the post-match meals at McNamara’s Bar and TJ's.

In addition to being a gifted athlete and musician, Jack was a lifelong artist. He studied art at the U of M and sculpture at UCLA with Bernard “Tony” Rosenthal and was invited to apprentice with Tony at his studio in California. As a starving artist, Jack worked at the famous Bullock’s in Westwood Village and sold cashmere sweaters to the Hollywood elite including Fred MacMurray and Claude Rains.

Jack had a varied career, including memorable stints with Watkins, Miller Publishing, and Principal Financial, as well as early adventures laying railroad ties and building coal cars for the Milwaukee Road, loading trucks at the Grain Belt Brewery and working the carnival circuit throughout the Midwest for concessions king Frank Campbell with lifelong friend Howard Cohen.

Jack married Patricia Irwin in 1956. Together, they built a loving home and had five children. Jack and Pat always encouraged their children and grandchildren in their artistic, athletic, and academic endeavors and were very active in their children's lives, including chairing the best ever 1969 Wooddale Carnival which featured a Space Age theme. They were also founding members of the Crew of Harriet.

Jack and Pat enjoyed memorable travels to Florida, Maui, Mexico and Europe - especially France, as well as numerous family trips in the trusty Country Squire station wagon. They loved live music and theatre and happily recounted tales of seeing original Broadway productions such as “Camelot” starring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet; and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” starring Zero Mostel, a show which Pat said made her laugh so hard it hurt. Jack enjoyed memorable shows at Turner Auditorium and was delighted to meet Duke Ellington on a train to Chicago.

Jack was always up for a food-related outing, whether it was to Winona’s Hot Fish Shop, Mac's Fish and Chips, Salut, Perkins (where he enjoyed the choices on the 55+ menu, especially the turkey dinner), Dayton's Oak Grill, Snuffy's, Pannekoecken Huis for thick split-pea soup and Saturday morning breakfasts, and grocery shopping at Jerry's.

No outfit was complete without one of his stylish baseball caps customized with just the right pin, button, or patch (usually with a U of M theme).

Jack had an eye for great cars and owned a 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible and a 1964 Ford Mustang as new cars. It was fitting that the last film Jack saw in a movie theatre was “Ford vs. Ferrari.”

Jack was an avid newspaper reader and a fan of political cartoonist Steve Sack. Jack even suggested an idea to Sack, which Sack turned into one of his creative works of art.

When Jack's first grandchild John was asked to bring someone to Highlands Elementary for Favorite Person Day, the youngster had a wide variety of options. His Favorite Person? Grandpa Jack, also known as Pappers!

Preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Pat; his parents, Frank J. and Lillian Mertes; brother, Frank G. Mertes, and daughter Amy Mertes Dingmann. Survived by son Jack (Lori); daughters Ann (Rick Griffith), Jennifer, and Maribeth (Todd Hegg); and grandchildren John, Nick and Mollie Mertes and Ethan and Owen Hegg. Jack was a proud father and grandfather and loved them all – equally and well.

Our heartfelt thanks to the caring hospice team at Park Nicollet including the nurses, doctors, social workers, shower ladies, massage therapists, music therapists, priests, ministers and the medical supply delivery guys that conversed and comforted Jack every day.

Jack’s final two days were spent at Our Lady of Peace, a very special place that helped Dad take his final steps. It was a blessing he was in their care.

Memorials preferred to the Amy Mertes Dingmann Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of St. Thomas.

Therese Meszaros Funeral

Friday, April 21, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Therese M. Meszaros, 92, a resident of Edina, Minnesota for more than 50 years, passed away on March 17 in Durham, North Carolina. She is survived by four sons, five grandsons, two daughters-in-law, two great-grandchildren, three nieces and a sister-in-law. Her husband of 65 years, Edward, passed away in 2015, and her eldest son, Ed, passed away in 2001.

Therese retired in 2015 after a long career as a dietary specialist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, where she counseled patients with heart disease and diabetes. Therese was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1930. She and her growing family would move to Portland Oregon and then to San Jose, California, before moving to Edina in 1971, where her husband was an executive at Deluxe Corporation.

With her five sons grown up, Therese enrolled in Normandale Community College and earned an associate degree in Dietary Sciences. She also earned a certificate from the School Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, one of the world's most prestigious culinary institutes. Cooking was a passion throughout her life and she was a member of a gourmet club with friends.

Therese and Ed enjoyed ballroom dancing. She was also a competitive dancer. With a professional partner, Therese competed for more than 20 years in DanceSport pro-amateur championship competitions around the country, where she excelled in rhythm, Latin, swing, American smooth and international ballroom categories and won more than 30 "best student" awards. She competed in the senior category throughout her 70s, 80s, and early 90's, She was weeks before her 92nd birthday when she competed in her final competition at the Capital DanceSport Championships in Arlington, Virginia, in August 2022, where she again earned "best student" honors.

Therese enjoyed traveling around the world with family and close friends, playing golf, lunching and playing bridge with close friends, and long nature walks. She took her last international trip in September 2022 to England, Scotland, and Ireland.

A Memorial Service will be held at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, where the family were active members. Visitation will be held at Our Lady of Grace on April 21 at 10:00-10:30 AM as well as the night before at Washburn McReavy. A Funeral Mass will also be held at Holy Family Catholic Church in Hillsborough, North Carolina on Tuesday, March 28 at 10:00 AM.

Sylvia Krygowski Funeral

Saturday, March 18, 2023 | 1:00 PM | Chapel

Sylvia M. Krygowski, (nee Hadhazy) aged 95, formerly of Posen, Illinois, passed away on March 10, 2023, at Shakopee Friendship Manor in Shakopee, Minnesota. Preceded in death by her loving husband of 70 years, Raymond; her parents, Alex and Mary, and her brother, Melvin, Sylvia is survived by her sister, Barbara Klasinski; children, Bruce, Gail Derrow (Don) and Marcia Evans (Bill Dubbs); grandchildren, Alexis, Adrian, Nick, Lindsey Ruenger (Josh), Brad Evans (Katie), John Evans (Julianne), and James Evans (Emily). Great grandchildren include Harrison Evans, Jude Evans, Louisa Evans and Theo Ruenger. She was the beloved aunt of many nieces and nephews, and her longtime friends included many from her years in Posen. Sylvia was an avid reader, diarist, and crossword puzzler, and loved to spend Sunday afternoons reading in her easy chair by the fireplace in Posen. Her love of words extended to other languages as well. She was fluent in Polish, spoke a smattering of Hungarian, and understood the mass in Latin. She loved music (particularly the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday afternoons on the radio), dancing with her beloved Ray, and spending time in prayer.

The middle child of Mary and Alex, she was a hardworking student who achieved many academic awards due to her natural intelligence and disciplined work habits. In high school, Sylvia earned awards for her typing speed and error-free shorthand, thus assuring that when she graduated from Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois, she would join the workforce as a secretary. Her first job at age 16 was as a payroll clerk for a furnace company in Chicago. She often recounted the story of how she made a mistake her first week on the job, causing the men a 10 cent reduction in pay. Her boss told the men to give her a break, gave her time to rectify the matter, and she continued to work for Mr. Hubbard until her marriage to Ray. During her marriage, she worked for many years at Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois, then later for PMA Corporation in Lansing, Illinois, as administrative assistant and all-around “Girl Friday” to Herb Adler. She was well known for her precision and orderliness in all things. Sylvia lived in Posen almost her entire life, and it wasn’t until June of 2016 that she and Ray reluctantly moved to Hopkins, Minnesota, to be closer to her daughter for health reasons. Later, she and Ray moved to Friendship Manor Shakopee.

Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, Minnesota, at 1:00 PM. Gill Brothers Funeral Chapels, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are assisting the Krygowski family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Sylvia may be shared at www.GILLBROTHERS.com

In lieu of flowers, Memorials preferred to Children’s Minnesota Cancer Kids Fund Cancer Kids Fund & Charity.

Lynn Davis Funeral

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | 1:00 PM

We lost our beloved "bigger than life" Lynn (LD) who passed away from inevitable complications of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's. Born in Lime Springs, Iowa on February 20, 1947, he grew up on a dairy farm near Cresco, Iowa, son of Derrill and Dolores (Kleve) Davis. He loved detailing how he survived farming perils and helped his three younger sisters - Cheryl (Basztura), Constance and Marcia (Cannon- Davis) do the same. Ever competitive and a wrestler throughout high school, he graduated from Iowa State University in 1968 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and with the love of his life Sandra (Ottsen) Davis, whom he married that summer. He worked at Honeywell while obtaining his MBA from the University of Minnesota before he was lured away to join a then small firm, ADC Telecommunications. Lynn was a born leader, motivating to his team and consistently treating all employees with respect. In many of his years at ADC, he liked to point out, the division he led accounted for more than 100% of the company's profits. He touched all aspects of the business, after 26 years eventually retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer. Lynn said he "failed retirement" and that it took three tries before he finally got it right, trying his hand at private equity and then serving as President of August Technology before retiring for good. He stayed engaged with business by mentoring young leaders and serving on the company Boards of Flexsteel, STI, and Lion Precision. Over his career, he encouraged others to realize their potential, and gave them the trust and space they needed to achieve it. We will miss his big presence, competitive spirt, contagious sense of humor, down- to-earth style, and generosity. Lynn and Sandra loved the mountains, often skiing or hiking near their second home in Snowmass, Colorado. Annual canoe camping trips to the Boundary Waters were central to their lives from newlywed times through parenting and grandparenting. Lynn had a passion for athletics; he pitched slow-pitch softball from his teens through his 50's. He believed in the power and value of youth sports, both coaching and serving on the boards of the Edina Baseball and Basketball Associations. His photography hobby became a beautiful obsession which took him and Sandra on travels all over the world. From this he produced and shared annual nature photography calendars, while also creating a family calendar with photos that matched his pride and love for his six grandchildren. His sons - Chris Davis (Margaret King) with children Owen, Tyler, Clara and Audrey and his son Justin Davis (Lynn Kuo) with children Terren and Koda (born on Lynn's birthday) remember fondly their Opa's sense of humor, enthusiasm for life, and deep love that he showered on them. Above all he loved his family, cheering on his kids, grandkids and his wife, whom he believed could do anything. We will miss his fierce competitive spirit whether in athletics, family games, card games or fishing. He was tough, strong, self- assured and confident, belying his big, soft heart and faith in God. He was a rock star and our rock.

Visitation will be at noon on March 14 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina with the funeral mass to follow at 1:00 PM. Private burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Friends of the Boundary Waters friends-bwca.org Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996.

Brian Johnson Funeral

Monday, February 27 | 10:30 AM

Johnson, Brian Gary, age 50, of Edina passed away peacefully after a long fight with pneumonia and other numerous health struggles on February 13, 2023. Brian was born February 8, 1973 to Jane and Gary Johnson. He graduated from Roseau High School in 1991, received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1995. Brian worked in the Mutual Fund industry for the past 20 years, most recently with Eaton Vance. He had gained many different financial accreditations including the CPA, CIMA, IMCA and CSRIC. Brian made numerous friends through the finance world and was known for being kind, generous, thoughtful and fun to be around.

Brian has made an impact on so many lives. He had a gift of bringing people together. He created genuine relationships and took tremendous pride in his family. His love for his family was evident. Jack and Michael were his pride and joy. He liked nothing better than watching them play hockey, talking hockey and hanging at the rink. When he wasn't on the rink he loved to be on Lake Minnetonka, boating, wake surfing, fishing and pontooning. One of his favorite places to visit was Marco Island with the white beaches, warm sunshine, and sunsets. Brian loved to tell stories, listen to stories and laugh at stories. Some of his favorite memories were from his DU college days. He was a proud Badger!

He will be missed beyond measure by his wife of over 16 years, Betsy; sons, Jack (age 14) and Michael (age 12); parents, Jane and Gary Johnson; sister, Jen (Eric) Jensen; in-laws, Jean and Tony Navarro; Brother and sister in-laws, Jenny and Chris Strawn, Anne and Jason Haugen, Elle and Tim Bruno; and many nieces (Addie, Molly, Abby, Zoa and Lou) and nephews (Drew, Alex and George). Funeral service February 27, at Our Lady of Grace at 10:30am. Memorials preferred to Jack and Michael's education at GiveSendGo.

John Sheran Funeral

Friday, January 27 | 10:30 AM

Sheran, John Mark Age 72, of Bloomington, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2022. John is preceded in death by his parents, Chief Justice Robert Sheran and Jean Brown Sheran, and his brother Michael and sister-in-law Rizalina. He is survived by his wife of forty-six years, Christina; his three children and their spouses, Laura (Nicholas Pape), Jordan (Charles Barlow), and Michael (Stephanie Zuk); and six grandchildren: Owen, Emma, Ethan, Jack, Olivia, and Henry. He is also survived by three siblings and their spouses, Tom (Linda), Kathleen (Dean Doyscher), and Daniel (Nancy), and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. John was born in Mankato on June 6, 1950 and lived there through 6th grade. He then moved with his family to St. Paul when his father was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. John graduated from St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights and received his undergraduate degree and a law degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. John was gifted with a quick wit, a capacity to build lasting relationships, and a natural talent for music. Without formal instruction, he taught himself to play guitar and piano by ear, performing almost any song he heard for friends and family. He also loved to dance and was a favored dance partner wherever the bands were playing. Some of his closest friends came from a notorious group known as the Double Secret Probation SAE fraternity at Creighton University. Throughout his life, he remained close to many of his SAE brothers and continued to see them through his final days. These friends fondly remember his incredible sense of humor, nicknaming him "Blade" because of his sharp wit. John's keen ability to express an amusing and often hilarious twist on even the most mundane situations kept his family and friends laughing through many difficult times, including his struggle with cancer. After law school, John returned to Mankato in 1975 to work at the Farrish Law firm, where his father and uncle had previously practiced. He was mentored by Jerry Maschka and Bob Johnson and honed his skills as a litigator here. In 1992, John and his family moved to the Twin Cities where he joined the Leonard Street and Deinard firm. John was forever grateful to both firms for their support of his practice and for the lasting friendships he developed. John retired in 2016, hoping to build a mediation practice, but his cancer re-emergence disrupted that plan. John received many recognitions as a lawyer but none more meaningful than his induction into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only fellowship for attorneys who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality. After his nomination, he wrote in a letter to his uncle, Judge Miles Zimmerman, "I recently found out that you were behind my nomination to the American Trial Lawyers. I want to thank you for your vote of confidence, but I do feel a little like Groucho Marx who once said that he was hesitant to join any organization whose standards were so low as to accept him as a member." John felt God had blessed him in many ways beginning with his loving parents, strong sibling relationships, his caring wife, Christina, three exceptional children, and six fabulous grandchildren. For those who mourn his passing, we are left remembering the gifts he bestowed on us, his intelligence, kindness, sense of humor, love of music, and high regard for family and friends.