Jean “Jeanne” Walen

Jean (Jeanne) Lynn Walen went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, peacefully at home on March 3, 2023 after a long illness. She was 72. Her home was Rochester, Minnesota.

She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 15, 1950. Her parents were Roy and Dorothy Nelson. She grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Went to Golden Valley schools until her Sophomore thru Senior years. She then attended the private Christian school, Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. After high school she attended North Hennepin Junior College and the University of Minnesota.

She worked for six years as a graphic artist for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association. She designed many of the brochures and books used in Rev. Graham’s crusades. In 1975 she worked at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. for The Billy Graham Evangelical Association.

On March 7,1976 she met her future husband on a blind arrangement. Later that year she moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, Richard Walen’s hometown. She worked at the Red Wing Republican Eagle as a graphic artist. Richard and Jeanne were married on September 24, 1977 at Trinity Covenant Church in Robbinsdale, Minnesota and after a honeymoon along the North Shore they made their home in Red Wing.

In 1979 Richard’s job took them to St. Cloud, Minnesota for a year. Then they were transferred to Rochester, Minnesota in 1980. In 1992 they moved to Zumbrota, Minnesota, where their two children graduated from Zumbrota/Mazeppa High School in 2000 & 2001. After both graduated, they moved back to Rochester in 2002, where they have lived ever since.

Her hobbies were reading her Kindle. She would read 3-4 books per week. She loved the mystery genre. She also loved to watch YouTube videos on cooking and baking. She was a master baker when it came to cheesecakes. They were out of this world. She did a perfect impression of “Ernestine”, the switchboard operator on Saturday Night Live. She had a great sense of humor. She had to, to put up with her husband.

She is survived by her spouse, Richard (Dick) Walen. Two children, Nathan Walen of Byron, Minnesota and Erika (Walen) Karl and her husband Kevin Karl of Eustis, Florida. She has two step-grandchildren, Chandler and Kaitlyn Karl. Jeanne has two brothers, Ronald Nelson (Diane) of Minnetonka, Minnesota and Randal Nelson (Christy) of Overland Park, Kansas. She also has two nieces, Lindsey and Krista both of the Twin Cities. One nephew Joseph of St. Louis. She has many cousins who survive her. She is also survived by one cat, Nela.

Preceded in death were her parents Roy and Dorothy Nelson of Plymouth, Minnesota. Richard’s parents Donald and Dorothy Walen of Red Wing, Minnesota. Also preceded her in death are over 30 cats.

Memorial Celebration will be at Rochester Cremation Services, 1605 Civic Center Drive NW, Rochester, Minnesota.

Time and date: Sunday March 19, 2023 at 1:00 pm visitation. Memorial Celebration officiated by lifelong friend Rev. Greg Bodin begins at 1:30. Reception and lunch following the memorial celebration.

Any memorial gifts may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation or the American Liver Foundation.

The family would like to thank all of Jeanne’s nurses and doctors and hospice staff for making her final days on this earth as good, comfortable, and caring as possible.

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19.