Tom Crowley Funeral

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 | 11:00 AM

Thomas "Tom" Clair Crowley, of Edina, MN, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2023 at the age of 82. Tom was born in Welton, IA to Vince and Clare Crowley, and he attended Maur Hill Prep before graduating from St. Benedict's College in Atchison, KS. In 1964, he and his wife Ann began their life together, and Tom started his almost 60 year career. Tom directed countless financing projects in the real estate community and was known for his ability to make each deal a win-win situation for all involved. He played a key role in arranging financing for notable projects ranging from the AT&T Tower to the Mall of America. In 2013, he was inducted into the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame. He was still working on deals at Colliers before he passed. Also a lover of fast cars and motorcycles. Tom was predeceased by his parents and brothers, Pat, Bill, Jerry, Jack, and Jim. He is survived by his devoted wife, Ann; children, Matt (Mary Jane), and Angie (Andy) Porter; grandchildren, Cella, Jane, and Patrick; sisters-in-law, Peggy Faulhaber and Rosemary Faulhaber; and many nieces and nephews. They will dearly miss his generosity and warmth, and especially his charm and gift of the gab.

Services will be held on Tuesday, June 6, at 11 AM, with visitation beginning at 9:30 AM, at Our Lady of Grace Church, 5071 Eden Ave, Edina. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to their favorite charity in Tom's name.

Arlene Finley Funeral

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Finley, Arlene Patricia (Langner) died on May 30, 2023 at age 85. She was daughter of Irene Langner (Sprague) and Mike Langner and sister of Kathleen Fike, all deceased. She was born in Minneapolis on July 28, 1937. She spent her youthful summers on Lake Minnetonka (Crystal Bay) and grew up in the Bryn Mar neighborhood. She graduated from Basilica grade school, Holy Angels High Academy (1955), and attended St. Catherine’s University and the U of M. Survived by husband Pat of 64 years, son, Tim (Linda) of Plymouth and grandchildren, Kate, Lauren (Remington), Matt and Jack and great-grandson, Remi, son Michael (Christine Fitz) of Breezy Point, son Patrick (Robin Parmley) of Phoenix and grandchildren Ryan Sydney and Ben, daughter, Colleen Koncilja (Frank) and granddaughter, Kaitlin. Also survived by sister-in-laws, Annette Ashton, Jackie Finley and Carol Finley and brother-in-law, Kevin Finley (Sally) and nephews, Scott and Gregg Fike. Arlene was a member of Our Lady Grace Parish for 59 years. She started the initial funeral guild in 1978 and volunteered in many other ministries. She was a member of St. Frances Xavier Guild, Genesis group and St. Charlie’s bridge group. She had an uncanny memory for people she met. She never forgot a name or face. Arlene loved to read, eat hot fudge ice cream sundaes and play bridge, but her special calling was sending greeting cards to people celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, mourning a loved-one or just brightening the day of a sick friend. We thank everyone for your outpouring of love and support during these last days, especially the wonderful staff at N. C. Little Hospice. Mass of Christian burial at OLG at 10:30 AM on Wednesday June 7, 2023 with reviewal one hour before. Burial at St. Mary’s cemetery. Remember Arlene by sending a card to someone today. In lieu of flowers memorials can be sent to Basilica of St. Mary, Holy Angels or Fr. Cassidy Endowment Fund at OLG.

Steven and Kathi Graff Funeral

Friday, May 26, 2023 | 9:00 AM

Graff, Kathi of Hopkins, MN peacefully passed away on April 15th, 2023 after 72 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, mother and father. Kathi was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She survived by her three children, Nicholas, Justin and Regina and her nine grandchildren.

Graff, Steven Edward of Hopkins, Mn, peacefully passed away on June 19th, 2022 after 71 wonderful years. He was preceded in death by his father, mother and brother. Steven was a devoted husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle and friend. He was survived by his wife Kathi, his three children Nicholas, Justin and Regina and his beloved nine grandchildren.

Funeral will be held at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, 5071 Eden Ave Edina, MN 55436 at 9:00 AM on May 26.

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.