Donna Jean Hellerud (Jeannie)

Hills, MN 

     Donna Jean Hellerud (Jeannie) age 77 of Hills, MN died Wednesday, July 24, 2019 surrounded by her loving family, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.

     Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM, Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, MN with Msgr. Gerald Kosse, as celebrant. Burial will follow in the Flowerfield Cemetery at Hills, MN.

     Visitation will be Monday, July 29^th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM with the family present from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills. There will be a vigil service at the close of visitation.

     Donna Jean (Jeannie) White was born February 9, 1942, in Sioux Falls SD, the daughter of Lawrence and Lucille (Gregory) White.  Although her given name was Donna, everyone knew her as Jeannie.  She was one of nine children, and grew up in Sioux Falls, SD.  She graduated from Notre Dame High School in Mitchell, SD.  Jeannie received her LPN degree from Presentation Nursing School in Mitchell, SD.  She worked after graduation at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls, and received her engagement ring on the front steps of the hospital.  Jeannie was united in marriage to Robert (Popeye) Hellerud on February 1, 1964 at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Sioux Falls, SD.  They made their home in Hills, MN. where they were blessed with three daughters.  Jeannie began her career at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills MN in 1971. She always said that caring for geriatric patients was her true calling.  She touched the lives of many residents and staff members in her years there.  She had a love of learning and taught the CNA course at the Tuff Home and proving that it’s never too late, she returned to college at the University of South Dakota, where she attained her Bachelor of Nursing degree at age 62, something she was very proud of.  She worked at the Tuff Memorial home for 43 years retiring in 2015 to care for her husband.

     Jeannie and her husband were blessed with many wonderful friends, they had bridge club, card parties, progressive dinners, and a great time on Halloween dressing up and going out.  She loved a good joke and her dry sense of humor and sharp wit will long be remembered by those who loved her.  She was a collector of many things, including antiques, penguins, Hummel figurines, and pie birds.   She loved teaching her granddaughters to bake, especially her famous pies and desserts.  She and her husband Bob were foster parents through the state of Minnesota, and also had foreign exchange students over the years. They traveled to San Jose’ Costa Rica to visit their foreign exchange “daughter" Paty Arata H, to Omaha and Kansas City to See Amy and Tom, to New Jersey to visit Kelli, and to Las Vegas.  Two weeks ago, Jeannie returned “home” to the Tuff Memorial Home after a sudden illness under hospice care.  She was surrounded by love, laughter, and wonderful care, in her final days.

     Jeannie is survived by loving daughters, Kelli Hellerud, Hills, MN, Konni (Greg) Liggons, Sioux Falls, SD and Amy (Tom) Bosch Sioux Falls, SD; Granddaughters, Karah (Tyler) Hellerud, Hills, MN, Emma (Tyler) Hughes, Iowa City, IA, Isabel Bosch, Sioux Falls, SD, Karissa Liggons, Sioux Falls, SD, and one Grandson Noah Hellerud, Hills, MN., three great-grandchildren, Makynzie, Keiton and Emileigh Koller. Sisters Patty (Milton) Schmida, Susan Campbell, Mary (Russell) Poppenga, and Kathy (Dave) Assay, brothers Mike (Elaine) White and Tony White, many nieces and nephews, her best friend Lou Kellenberger, and her beloved golden doodle Willy.     

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Lucille White, two sisters Connie White, and Beth (Martin) Serrioz and her beloved husband Bob.   Blessed be her memory.