JoAnn H. Ankrum

            JoAnn Helen Ankrum, the daughter of Henry and Grace (Krueger) Sportel, was born January 10, 1922 at Adrian, Minnesota.              She started her formal education at a rural school in Little Rock, and at age 12 moved with her family to a farm near Holland, Minnesota.  While living there she attended District #72 School through the 7th grade and transferred to Verdi High School through the 11th grade.  Her final year of education was in Little Rock when she went to stay with her Grandma Sportel.  JoAnn’s colorful and vivid stories of being her father’s helper on the family farm were always told with immense pride and a dose of humor.             After returning to Holland from Little Rock, JoAnn met Henry Ankrum and they were married on September 30, 1939.  The newlyweds lived in several small central Minnesota towns near Sandstone during the next five years and added four children to their family, Janice, Joyce, Judy, and Larry.  Henry served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946, and JoAnn moved her young family back to the Pipestone area to be near her family while he was away.  In the early 1950’s, the Ankrum family moved to California where their fifth child, Juanita, was born. In 1956 they returned to Minnesota to live.             JoAnn was an extremely talented woman who could sew beautiful clothing and crochet exquisite items without using patterns.  She was an incredible cook and baker without ever needing a recipe and often with very few ingredients.  She made every holiday a memorable event for her family and loved gardening, canning, animals, children, practical jokes, and playing cards.  She also cared for her aging mother for several years.   JoAnn did many jobs over the years, but one of her favorite memories was working with her father-in-law picking olives in California for $1.22 per day.  At one time or another she also picked cotton, milked cows, cooked in restaurants, and did a host of other jobs, all the while being an outstanding mother and grandmother for her growing family.  Her motto was “You can never give up; you always need to keep going.” JoAnn and Henry retired in 1981 and moved from their farm near Kroschel, Minnesota to a home in Pine City, Minnesota.  Following Henry’s death, JoAnn lived in their home until 2009 when she moved to the Pines Senior Care.  She died there on December 14, 2010, reaching the age of 88 years. She is survived by her children:  Janice (Henry) Parker, Judith Carlson, Larry (Eileen) Ankrum, Juanita (Marvin) White; grandchildren:  Kim (Mark) Humann, Craig (Lisa) Parker, Lisa Erdahl, Megan (David) Martin, Heather Ankrum; 11 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchildren; sister:  Helen Huibregtse; brother:  Ray (Gen)  Sportel; sister-in-law:  Darlene Sportel.  JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Grace Sportel, her husband Henry, daughter Joyce Harmon, great grandson Dakota, brothers Raymond and Henry Sportel, Jr., and sons-in-law Eldon Carlson and Victor Erdahl.  Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 17th at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church of Pine City.  Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery of Mora.  Visitation is Thursday from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Swanson Funeral Chapel and will continue on Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.