Joan Henderson

Joan Henderson of Montevideo died on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at CCM Health at the age of 99.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, February 17, 2023 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Montevideo.  Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Montevideo.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services as the church.

Joan Marie (Bjorndahl) Henderson was born April 5,1923 in Montevideo, MN, the daughter of Marion and Mary (Pederson) Bjorndahl. She attended Sibley school as a child and later graduated from Central High School in 1941.    In the summer of 1941, she met Lyle Henderson through her brother Roy, and Lyle’s brother Mel. Lyle enjoyed listening to Joan as she played the piano and they quickly fell in love. They were united in marriage on December 14, 1941 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo.   Joan lived with her parents while Lyle was stationed overseas and kept herself busy working downtown as a waitress at Stamsons Cafe. After Lyle was discharged from the service, they made their home on a farm near Montevideo before moving into town in the mid 1950’s. To this union, five children were born. To Joan, there was no greater calling than being a mother. Her family meant everything to her.

Joan and Lyle were modest people and lived a simple lifestyle. They did some traveling in the United States, enjoyed car rides and fishing in the area, but could most often be found at home sitting around the kitchen table. Lyle passed away in 1994. Joan could still be found sitting at her kitchen table doing crossword puzzles, needle point, cross stitch and picture puzzles. She loved playing Buck, Pinochle and hundreds of Cribbage games with Keith.  She was an excellent baker and always had coffee on. Family always knew to check her four cookie jars as they were always full of chocolate chip, oatmeal, ginger snap and sugar cookies. She made amazing homemade donuts. Just hours after her passing, her family received her Ancestry DNA results, and just as suspected, she was 100% Scandinavian! She loved spending time with family making lefse, krumkake, sandbakkels and potato klub. These traditions will be passed on to generations to come.

 At night, you could find her at her kitchen table reflecting on her day, writing in her calendar diary of the days’ events. This went on for 52 years. Often these diaries settled some arguments about what had happened on a given day. Joan had a great sense of humor and loved laughing. Once she started, she just couldn’t get herself to stop.  Joan was very proud of the fact that up until recent months, she was still able to live in her own home. She was so looking forward to her 100th birthday in April.  To know Joan was to love her. She was a very special lady and her memory will forever be in our hearts.

Joan is survived by five dedicated children: son Mark Henderson of Montevideo, MN; son Clyde Henderson of Tampa, FL; daughter Marcia (Karl) Kelley of Spring Branch, TX; son Kim (Linda) Henderson of Moorhead, MN; and son Keith (Becky) Henderson of Montevideo, MN; nine loving grandchildren, several great-grandkids, and numerous extended family and friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband Lyle; daughter-in-law Eloise; brothers: Roland, Roy and Clyde; as well as many other family members and friends along her journey of life.