JoAn Esther (Burns) Ecklund, age 88, of Ellsworth, Wisconsin went into the loving arms of Jesus on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

JoAn was born to Arthur and Esther (Holm) Burns on September 12, 1933 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She and her sister Janice grew up in Northeast Minneapolis and helped their father occasionally in his neighborhood grocery store. She attended and graduated from Minnehaha Academy. Shortly after graduation, she met Del Ecklund at a church event and they were married on October 11, 1952 at Salem Covenant Church in Minneapolis. Their family grew with the addition of Sherry (1953), Scott (1955) and Wendy (1964). JoAn was a loving, kind and caring mother. She was very supportive of her husband and children in all of their endeavors. She filled her life with family and friends, hobbies that she enjoyed: ice skating (in the early years), ceramics, reading, bowling, knitting, sewing and serving with others at church. She was an amazing cook and enjoyed entertaining friends. She did the books for D & G Concrete (Del’s business), drove a school bus and worked at Dayton’s. Del and JoAn went to Mexico annually to support and aid a missionary family and the people of Mazatlan. After Del retired they moved to their farm in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. For many years they spent the winters in their home in Arizona and summers in Wisconsin. JoAn influenced many with her kind heart, joyful spirit, and genuine love for the Lord. She loved to play games with her grandchildren, and – win or lose – they were accompanied by much laughter and fun. The abundant joy and love in her heart was always shared with everyone whose lives she so generously and richly touched. She was, and always will be, an inspiration to all of us.

JoAn will be deeply missed by her children, Sherry (Doug) Swanson, Scott (Alison) Ecklund, Wendy (Bill) Janssen and nine grandchildren, Matt (Jen) Swanson, Adam (Anna-Britt) Swanson, Ashleigh (Jeremy) Roemen, Erika (Mike) Boen, Scott (Kelli) Ecklund, Court (Sarah) Ecklund, Blake Bates, Luke Bates, Mikayla Bates and fifteen great grandchildren, her sister Janice Mole, her brother and sister-in-law Gordy and Gloria Nelson, brother-in-law Gordy Ecklund, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Del, her son-in-law Jerry, and her parents.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 29 from 2:00-4:00 pm at Living Waters Christian Fellowship, 253 South Piety Street, Ellsworth, Wisconsin, 54011. JoAn will be laid to rest at a private family interment at Zion Covenant Cemetery in Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

Arrangements entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services of Ellsworth, www.oconnellfuneralservices.com. 715-273-4421