Johanna Jacobson

Hills, MN Johanna Jacobson, age 92 of Hills, MN died Thursday, February 02, 2012 at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Monday, February 6th at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, MN, with Pastor Ron Nichols officiating. Burial will follow at Flowerfield Cemetery in Hills. Visitation will be Monday, February 6th one hour prior to the service at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. Johanna Jacobson was born June 15, 1919 in Lyon County, Iowa, the daughter of Bastian and Berndina (Elbers) Berkhof. She was raised on the family farm near Steen, Minnesota and attended country school. She was united in marriage to Sigurd Jacobson on June 6, 1940 in Rock Rapids, Iowa. They farmed near Hawarden Iowa, and later in Rock County near Hills, MN, where together they raised four daughters. Jo and Sig retired from the farm in 1976 and built a home in Luverne. They became members of Grace Lutheran Church, where Johanna was active in the Mary Martha circle. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, ceramics, card clubs, cooking, baking and entertaining friends and family. She also volunteered with 4-H helping the children with their projects. In 2004, Jo and Sig moved to the Tuff Village in Hills, Minnesota. Jo entered the Tuff Memorial Home in 2005. After nearly 70 years of marriage, her husband, Sigurd, died in 2010. Jo remained living at the Tuff Memorial Home until this past Thursday, February 2, 2012, where she died at the age of 92. Johannas legacy is her kindness and strength of character. She was a loving wife, loyal friend, caring daughter and sister, and above all, an amazing mother and grandmother! We greatly admired her quiet faith and her profound respect for the earths resources"she was gentle on the earth. We will miss her every day, but a piece of her lives on in all of us. She is survived by four daughters, Sylvia (Roger) Niessink of Luverne, MN, Annette Brown of Sioux Falls, SD, Joyce Burgess of Mankato, MN and Lynda (Darel) Jacobsen of Mankato, MN; eight grandchildren, Bryce (Janice Fick) Niessink, Craig Niessink, Lynette (Mike) Hoiland, Nichole (Paul) Burgess/Peel, Leah (Aaron Swallow) Burgess, Matt (Daidre) Burgess, Sarah Rapp and Andrew (Shannon) Rapp; twelve great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; one sister, Gertrude Karli of Storm Lake, IA; and many other nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sigurd Jacobson; parents, Bastian and Berndina Berkhof; five brothers, Arie, Gilbert, Bastian Jr., Robert, and infant brother.