Joan Frerk

Joan Helen (Eitreim) Frerk passed into the loving arms of our Holy Savior at the Broen Home in Fergus Falls, on Wednesday, August 22, 2012. Joan was born January 4, 1933, to Bertine and Olena (Ellefson) Eitreim in Jasper, MN. She attended the Jasper Public School. She worked as a young girl in the local grocery store. On December 22, 1950, she was united in marriage to Donald J. Frerk, Sr. in Jasper. They made their first home in Ozark, AL at Camp Rucker where Don was stationed in the US Army. In 1952, they moved back to Jasper and finally settled in Garretson, SD in 1953, where they raised their family of eight children. She loved being a homemaker and spent a great deal of time baking, cooking and canning goods for her family. Joan was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Garretson School Parent/Teacher Association and the Zion Lutheran Church Ladies Aide in Garretson. In 1980 they moved to Stalker Lake. During her working years Joan enjoyed working with the public as a sales clerk at Bostwicks, Norby’s and Plumb Creek clothing stores and Fleet Farm. Joan dearly enjoyed her job as an Activities Assistant at the Battle Lake Good Samaritan Center. She also volunteered as a coordinator for Beginning Experiences. She retired in 2007. After Don passed away in 1989, Joan continued living on her “Beautiful Stalker Lake”. She took great pleasure in her gardens and had several flower beds around the yard that she tended to, keeping vivid colors in bloom throughout the seasons. She was a collector of angels - figurines, lawn ornaments and wall hangings. There was seldom a table or shelf that did not have at least one angel on it – and each one was of significance to her. On August 31, 1996, she married Merlin Thompson. She deeply cherished the relationships she had with his children, Alan (Karen) Thompson, their daughter, Jenna, Bruce (Jackie) Thompson and their children, Seth and Laura and Barb (Oshri) Gabay and their children, Talia and Tomar. Joan was proud to be an American and had great admiration for the military and the service given to our country by her husband Don and five of their children. Joan was a member of Tordenskjold Free Lutheran Church, Underwood. She had an incredible faith and enjoyed sharing her love for Jesus to all she met. She left this earth with peace on her face – knowing she was going to see her Heavenly Father. Of all things valued by her, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her most dear. She loved bragging about her children and all they had accomplished as well as sharing stories of her grand and great-grandchildren. Even moments before her death, her last thoughts and spoken words were of her children – reciting, with pride, their names in order of age. Preceding her in death were her husband, Donald Sr., her parents and an infant brother, Roger. Survivors include her children, Donald Jr. (Mary) Frerk of Garretson, SD, Rebecca Frerk of Sioux Falls, SD, James (Shari) Frerk of Mission Hill, SD, Steve (Kris) Frerk of Garretson, SD, Kerry (Kay) Frerk of La Grange, IL, Wendy (Charlie)Wilson of Norfolk, VA, Nancy (Tony) Grandy of Chesterfield, VA, Jill (Terry) Leitch of Fergus Falls, MN; grandchildren, Michelle (Leon) Olofson, Valerie (Steve) Salzbrunn, Brad (Solveig) Frerk, Sean Frerk, Jeremy Frerk, Jeff (Amber) Frerk, Darcy (Eric) Stiefvater, Jordan Frerk, Justin Frerk, Emily Wilson and Ryan, Allison and Taylor Leitch; great-grandchildren, Sydney and Hayden Olofson, Chloe and Hailey Salzbrunn, Diontae and Aliah Lymon, Ella and Lydia Frerk, Austey and Saxton Stiefvater, Landon and Makaya Leitch and arriving next month-Kalob James Frerk; brother-in-law, Stuart (Doris) Frerk; a niece Lori (Pat) Frankman and a nephew Todd Frerk. Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church Service: 1 p.m. Sunday, August 26, 2012 at Zion-Sarpsborg Lutheran Church in Dalton Clergy: Reverends Mark Johnson and Brett Boe Interment: Sverdrup Cemetery, rural Underwood Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.