Jan Behrens

Throughout her rich and rewarding life, Janice "Jan" Behrens was a blessing to all who were near. She was compassionate, generous, and fun-loving with a deep devotion to the community she called home for much of her life. Jan was a loving wife and mother who lived to nurture and care for her children and grandchildren, and she was so proud to become a great-grandmother later in life. Steadfast and strong, she was always there for her family in whatever way was needed. Life will never be the same without Jan here, but she leaves behind a timeless legacy that her loved ones will proudly carry on in her footsteps.
The 1930s were a time unlike any other time in our nation's history as the Great Depression covered our nation throughout the entire decade and beyond. Although times were tough, cities, communities, and families came together to weather the storm in whatever way they could during this time. Amidst this eventful time was the year 1936 when Ben and O'Della Gjerdingen were able to shift their attention to an exciting time in their own lives as they announced the birth of the baby girl they named Janice Marie on July 5, 1936, in Spring Grove, Minnesota. Jan grew up in Spring Grove with her grandparents and attended local schools including Spring Grove High School where she was very involved in music. She made great friends there, too, and even kept in touch with many of her high school classmates. For years Jan attended and was involved in her class reunions. Having grown up with her grandparents, she was very close to her grandmother.
After graduating in 1954, Jan was eager for all that life had in store. She later moved with her family to Elgin and worked for Prudential Insurance in Rochester. It was while living in Elgin that Jan met the young man of her dreams. His name was Don Behrens, and it didn't take them long to fall in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Jan and Don were married on November 7, 1958. The young couple moved to Winona while he was finishing college and then relocated to Sanborn, Minnesota, when he accepted his first job. There, they welcomed two daughters, Wendy and Kelli, into their hearts and home. After five years they moved to St. Charles where their family was completed with the birth of their son, Steve.
As a mother, Jan was second to none. She was an active part of their lives and kept them busy, too. Jan was there for all of their events and activities, and she was there whenever they needed her. She didn't work outside of the home while her children were growing up, but she was able to teach piano in her home. Jan was quite a teacher as two of her former piano students went on to become accomplished pianists who played at Carnegie Hall. Wendy speaks of her mom's unconditional Love that saw her through some challenging times. Her son-in-law Patrick, remembers that in spite of his long hair and tatoo's she always made him feel welcome. She was always able to see the positive side of things and made a point of complementing him on what she appreciated about him. Jan was certainly busy around the house as she often cooked three different meals based on what time everyone would be able to eat. More recently she told Wendy that she learned so much from her. Wendy's reply was "We have truly come full circle, haven't we."
Over the years Jan was one busy woman. Once her children were grown she began working for Culligan, and she later worked for McCarthy Insurance on Main Street for 26 years. Don always teased her about "working the streets of St. Charles" for 26 years. Many of Jan's coworkers became friends, and that also made them a part of her family. Her kids often had friends at the dinner table and became a part of the family as she was like a mother to countless others. Jan was a very active member of the St. Charles United Methodist Church, and there she was captain of the choir for 40 years and also directed the church music program. She loved singing, and for years she was part of a signing group called Sweet Adelines with her church friends, Lois Bishop and Carolyn O'Brien. Don loved joking around with her, calling their group the "grave digger trio" since they sang at so many funerals. Also within her community Jan was thrilled when she and Don became king and queen of the St. Charles Gladiola Day Parade. She loved being able to see and wave at all of her friends in the parade and thought it was so neat to see how the parade works from the other side.
Along her life's journey, Jan was a woman of many interests. So proud of her Norwegian heritage, it was a big part of her life. Jan even spoke Norwegian from the time her grandmother taught her as a young girl, and her trip to Norway was the trip of a lifetime. She often made Lefse and other Norwegian dishes that her grandmother had shared with her and most years returned to Spring Grove for festivals celebrating community and Norwegian heritage. Jan loved sewing, knitting, embroidering, baking, and especially making crafts.
Compassionate, loving, and generous beyond compare, Janice "Jan" Behrens made a significant impact in the hearts and lives of those too numerous to count. She was a hard worker and had the gift of organizing, and her devotion to her family was unmatched. Jan faced times of trial, but even when dealing with the unexpected death of her daughter she faced challenges with grace, strength, and courage. Deeply loved, she will be forever missed.
Janice Marie "Jan" Behrens, of St. Charles, died Friday morning, February 23rd at Greenwood Prairie in Plainview. Jan's family includes her husband Don; daughter, Wendy (Patrick) Britton of Rochester; son, Steve "Sam" (Savay) Behrens of Byron; son-in-law, Tylor Coley of Minneapolis; grandchildren, Jamie, Toni, Skyler, Chase, Kendall, Alex, Natalia, Kaysen and Cade; great-grandchildren, Bailey, Charlie and Parker; and brother, David (Jane) Gjerdingen of St. Paul; many close friends and girlfriends she included as her family. Jan was preceded in death by her daughter, Kelli Coley and by brother, Richard Gjerdingen. Services to Celebrate Jan's life will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Charles United Methodist Church with the Reverend Heather E. Klason officiating. Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Hoff Funeral Service in St. Charles. They may also call one hour before services at the church on Wednesday. Pallbearers will be Gary Erickson, Mike Gorman, Bob Loken, Gary Sanders, Dave Kieffer and Terry Knothe. Please share a memory of Jan at her online guestbook and view her video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com. Memorials are preferred to the St. Charles Foundation for Academic Excellence and the St. Charles United Methodist Church.