John Jennissen

John J. Jennissen, age 78 of Sauk Centre died peacefully on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at his home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, April 11th at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel presiding. Interment will be in St. Paul's Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and also from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the funeral home. Parish prayers will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday evening at the funeral home.

John Joseph Jennissen was born November 30, 1937 in Padua, Minnesota to Henry and Anna (Dericks) Jennissen. John grew up in Sauk Centre and is a 1956 graduate of Sauk Centre High School. After graduation, he worked on the family dairy and grain farm. On June 7, 1961, John was united in marriage to Donna M. Hinnenkamp at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. After their marriage, John and Donna moved to a farm east of Sauk Centre where they had a dairy and grain farm for 42 years. John also became a full time school bus driver for the Sauk Centre Public Schools in 1961. John loved to work, watch TV, read farm papers, play cards, dance - especially polkas, and once in a while, enjoy a "Mich-ey Lite" (Michelob Golden Light beer).

John was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre; the Knights of Columbus; St. Joseph's Society and Catholic United Financial.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Donna M. Jennissen; children, Janel (Scott) Loesch of St. Cloud, Joy Sha of Bloomington, Jon (Gretchen) Jennissen of Sauk Centre and Joel (Marilee) Jennissen of Bloomington; grandchildren, Jessica Sha, Meagan Loesch, Garrett Loesch, Ashley Sha, Kylie Loesch, Evan Jennissen, Ellie Jennissen, Alicia Jennissen, and Linzi Loesch; sisters, Irene Haskamp, Virginia Jimenez, and Alice (Norm) Sterling; stepsisters and stepbrother, Delphine Kostreba, Evelyn Ukkelberg, and Ray (Norma) Karasch; stepsisters-in-law, Jean Shepard, Bernice Karasch, Carol Karasch and Geneva Karasch.

John was preceded in death by infant twin daughters, Judy and Jane; mother, Anna Jennissen; father, Henry Jennissen; stepmother, Frances Jennissen; three infant siblings; stepsister, Regina Grutsch, and stepbrothers, Alois Karasch, Valentine Karasch, Daniel Karasch, and Melvin Karasch.

Serving as casket bearers will be his six oldest grandchildren, Jessica, Meagan, Garrett, Ashley, Kylie, and Evan. Jim Sterling will be the cross bearer, Mary Kay Vanderwerf will be the scripture bearer, and Lyle Karasch will be the tractor bearer. John's three youngest grandchildren, Ellie, Alicia, and Linzi will be the gift bearers.