Lois Jean Beckstrand

Lois J. Beckstrand, age 90, of Litchfield died on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dassel Lakeside Community Home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, March 6, 2017 at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Sunday March 5th at the Church of St. Philip with a parish prayer service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the St. Columban Cemetery in Greenleaf Township south of Litchfield. Lois Jean was born on. November 12, 1926, in Buhl. Minnesota to Harold Robert and Lillian (MacKerracher) Garrett. She moved to Duluth, Minnesota as an infant. She was baptized and confirmed at the Endion Methodist Church of Duluth. She attended school in Duluth, graduating from Duluth Central High School in June 1944. Lois went on to pursue a Nursing career, enlisting in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, and attended and graduated from the Hamline-Asbury School of Nursing, in St. Paul, MN on September 1947. Lois was employed in Hospital Nursing in: Grand Forks, North Dakota, Duluth, St. Peter, and Minneapolis in Minnesota and Meeker County Memorial Hospital in Litchfield for a total of over 45 years. The year of 1966-1967 she was Clinical Instructor in the Hospital based Meeker County School of Practical Nursing. On September 12, 1947, she married Patrick Dean Barnes. she resided in Grand Forks, ND, Duluth, St. Peter and Minneapolis in Minnesota, before moving to Litchfield in 1962. She and Patrick owned a business on Sibley Avenue. On April 13, 1968, she married Wendell Beckstrand of Greenleaf township, Litchfield and resided in the Litchfield area ever since. In their retirement years, Wendell and Lois enjoyed camping, and winter trips to South Texas before buying a home on Lake Minniebelle to enjoy Minnesota's beauty. Lois was a member of: Job's Daughters, Order of the Eastern Star, Girl Scouts, Minnesota Nurses Association, Choralaires musical group, The Board of Directors of the Meeker County Community Homes, Inc., Litchfield, First Presbyterian Church, and St. Philip's Catholic Church. Lois was ordained as an Elder and a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church. She has received friendship, support, caring and strengthening of her spiritual life from ""both"" of her church congregations. Lois was an active participant with various church choirs, and different musical groups for over 35 years. Volunteer works since her retirement has been with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Augustana Home Care, and Senior Nutrition Program. In May, of 1994 Lois was nominated by her peers, and honored by the ""Central Minnesota Nursing Hall of Fame"" and received their award for excellence in her Nursing Career. She is survived by her children, Susan (Mortie) Berg of Litchfield Sara Beckstrand (Benjamin Remondi) of Dickerson, Maryland, Jennifer (Gerald) Schwartz of Atwater, Naomi (Robert) Zyonse of Norman, OK, Patricia Barnes (fiancé Neil Herzberg) of Paynesville, James (Denise) Beckstrand of Paynesville, Gary Patrick Barnes of Kansas City, MO, Robert Barnes of Litchfield, Philip (Beverly) Beckstrand of Elk River, Richard (Loriee) Barnes of Grove City, 29 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends. Lois was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Wendell, two sons, John Beckstrand and Jeffrey Barnes, one great great grandchild, sister Elizabeth Lies, brother James W. Garrett, former husband and her children's father Patrick Barnes. Previous Events Visitation Sunday, March 5, 2017 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM St. Philip's Catholic Church 821 east 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Monday, March 6, 2017 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM St. Philip's Catholic Church 821 east 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Monday, March 6, 2017 1:30 PM St. Columban Cemetery South of Litchfield Greenleaf Township, MN 55355