Jeanette “J” Wark, age 75 of Jordan, MN, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at the Belle Plaine Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine, MN.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023, starting at 3 pm, with Memory Sharing at 6 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, 104 1st St W, Jordan.
Jeanette Marie Krenz was the 2nd of 4 children born to parents Marion “Nub” and Lillian Krenz, on July 5, 1947. Jeanette was born and raised in Bertha, MN, it is also where she attended, and graduated from school. As a young adult, Jeanette loved spending weekends attending Saturday night dances and playing softball with her friends on Sunday morning.
It was at a dance in Henning, MN, where Jeanette met Howard “Shorty” Wark and the rest was history! They were married in Henning on June 5, 1965. The couple started their adventure in the Crookston area before moving to Minneapolis, MN, Washington State, Arlington, MN, and eventually made Jordan their home in 1978.
Jeanette and Howard were blessed with 3 boys, Gary, Doug, and Paul. Jeanette loved to spend time with her family, and never missed any sporting event, school activities, bowling tournaments, or dirt track races. She was an avid fan of anything her boys liked to do and made sure to be involved whenever she could. Jeanette also enjoyed the many trips to Litchfield, MN camping with family and friends.
Jeanette stayed busy working. When the family settled in Jordan, she began working at the Jordan Triangle Café, then the NAPA store, and ADC. In 1987, Jeanette started a managerial position at Taco Johns, and enjoyed working there up until 2020. It was at Taco John’s that she received her nickname “J”!
As her children got older, Jeanette was overjoyed to become a grandma, not just to her granddaughters, but to their friends too! She was affectionately known as “Grandma J”. Just like the boys, she never missed any of the girls’ sporting or school events and gladly went on many road trips, attended many concerts, and countless “secret shopping” trips with her granddaughters and their friends. She also enjoyed making memories and creating mischief on trips to Mexico, Las Vegas, and Arizona with her girlfriends.
When she wasn’t working, spoiling her grandchildren, or adventuring, Jeanette loved to bowl and attend the many state bowling tournaments, play Bingo & cards, especially Rummy (with every game being documented) and try out new restaurants. The Olive Garden was her favorite, and the family has many fond memories of time spent celebrating special occasions there.
Jeanette’s welcoming, kindhearted, gentle nature will forever be missed by her husband of 57 years, Howard; sons, Gary (Karen) Wark, Douglas Wark, Paul (Denise) Wark; granddaughters, Theresa (Eric) Loiselet, Brittney (Justin) Wood; great granddaughter, Raven; many others who called her grandma; brother, Orville (Barb) Krenz; and numerous other family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Marion and Lillian Krenz; and brothers, Marlo (Jane) Krenz and Harlow Krenz.
