Janice "Jan" Derichs

Janice F. “Jan” Derichs, age 82 of Melrose, died peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at her home in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 29 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Janice Frances Fiedler was born May 6, 1940 in Buckman, Minnesota to Casper and Irene (Walkoviak) Fiedler and was baptized on May 12, 1940. She was the third oldest child of thirteen children. Jan grew up in West Union, Minnesota and graduated from Sauk Centre High School. She was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Derichs on January 19, 1960 at St. Alexius Catholic Church in West Union. The couple was married for 55 years and ten months when Bob passed away on November 19, 2015. Together they raised five daughters and lived in Melrose their entire married life. Jan worked at the Sauk Centre Hospital in her early years as well as Fingerhut and Jennie-O for many years.

She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose and the Christian Women. Jan loved camping and enjoyed traveling to Texas in the winter when her health permitted. She loved watching the Minnesota Vikings and Twins (especially when they were winning) and was an avid Melrose Dutchmen basketball fan; she instilled that in many of her daughters. Jan loved crafting and visits with her grandchildren and baking; her specialty was cookies and her famous pumpkin pie.

Survivors include her children, Glenna (Marvin) Blau of Mesa, AZ, Cindy Gardner (James Lambert) of Melrose, Sandy Kleinfehn (Timothy Mudge) of Melrose, Nancy (Daniel) Pundsack of Melrose, and Jill Hubert (Dale Imdieke) of St. Cloud; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Bernice Akervik of St. Wendel, Arlene (Don) Messerich of Melrose, Helen (Tim) Hinnenkamp of Melrose, Casper (Dee) Fiedler of St. Cloud, Melvin Fiedler of Albany, Sylvester (Cindy) Fiedler of Albany, William Fiedler of Albany, and Allan (Jackie) Fiedler of Albany.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert “Bob” Derichs; parents; grandson, Adam Tomford; two great-grandchildren, Abigail Zander and Elijah Tomford; sisters, Virginia “Tuffy” Fiedler, Lorraine “Mickey” Wessel, and Constance Buersken; infant brother, Marvin Fiedler; son-in-law, Philip Hubert.

Serving as casket bearers will be Samantha Zander, Jeron Kleinfehn, Troy Tomford, Melanie Kraker, Andy Kleinfehn, Adam Pundsack, Travis Tomford, and Alex Kleinfehn. Cross bearer will be Denise Kociemba and scripture bearer will be Jim Lambert. Honorary bearers will be Jean Hellermann, Cindy Duevel, Cindy Schmiesing, Steve Mayers, and Lynn Duerr-Karasch. Gift bearers will be Glenna Blau and Nancy Pundsack. Readers will be Alex Kleinfehn, Melanie Kraker, and Travis Tomford. Words of remembrance will be by Andy Kleinfehn and Troy Tomford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.