Jean A. Fingalson

Jean Ann Marie Fingalson was born on December 17, 1935, in Detroit Lakes, MN. She was the daughter of Glenn C. and Dorothea G. Fingalson.
Jean attended Detroit Lakes High School and graduated in 1954. During her high school years she was active in 4H, Luther League, Sunday school, and also taught Vacation Bible School at Richwood Lutheran Church. She attended Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, and then graduated from Lutheran Bible Institute, Minneapolis, MN, in May 1957, where she received a Parish Worker Certificate. On April 27, 1986, she was commissioned as an Associate in Ministry (Lay Professional) within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and was currently on the roster of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod.
After forty-two years of serving in various congregations and other church related agencies, she retired in 2000. She returned to Moorhead in 2001. Jean has served on the staff of the following congregations: Our Savior's Lutheran, Moorhead; St. James Lutheran, Burnsville, MN; St. Marks' Lutheran, Fargo, ND; and Mount Olivet Lutheran, Minneapolis. She also worked at the Red Valley Synod (formerly LCA), Moorhead, MN, and the Southwestern Minnesota Synod office in Redwood Falls, MN, as well as on the staff of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, for twelve and a half years, and prior to her retirement she spent nine and a half years at Lutheran Social Services in various capacities.
Over these many years she was always active in the life of the congregations that she served. She was also involved in the St. Paul Synod, serving on the synod's Call Committee and as chairman of the Leadership and Support Committee . During her years in Minneapolis she was active in the Sweet Adeline chapter in Roseville, MN. She always had a love for music and enjoyed going to many concerts and programs involving her nieces. She also enjoyed baking for others, theatre, and entertaining. Currently she has been a volunteer at the Heritage Hjemkomst Center, Clay County Museum Center, and her home church, Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Moorhead.
She is survived by two brothers, Lyle (Marie), Ada, MN, and Carl Dean (Janice), Detroit Lakes; six nieces, Debra (Trgyve) Olson, Ephata, PA, Shari (Keith) Johnson, East Grand Forks, MN, Jodi (Tim) Kline, Lakeridge, VA, Kristi (Curt) Lovold, Monticello, MN, Jill (Wayne) Guerrino, New Brighton, MN, and Vicki (Jeff) Madison, St. Paul, MN; one aunt, Jeanette Fingalson, Detroit Lakes; and two cousins, Wanda Fingalson, Roseville, and Wayne (Sue) Fingalson, Buffalo, MN. She also leaves eight great-nieces and six great-nephews. She dearly loved her family and was very proud of their many accomplishments and achievements during these many years.
Jean died Friday, March 14, 2008, in MeritCare Hospital, Fargo, at the age of 72. She is preceded in death by her parents and one uncle, Fred Fingalson.
Visitation: Monday, 4 PM to 7 PM, Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead, MN.
Funeral: Tuesday, March 18, 2008, at 11 AM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN.

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me'." - Erma Bombeck