Joanne Jan Cecile Cullen, 70, died Monday, November 24, 2008 at her home in Goodridge, MN surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with cancer.


Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Friday, November 28, 2008 at St. Annes Catholic Church, Goodridge, MN with Father John Kleinwachter presiding. Burial will follow in Community Cemetery, Goodridge, MN.

Visitation will be 5-8 PM, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 with a Prayer Service at 6:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Joanne Jan Cecile Allen was born April 5, 1938, the third child of Mitchell and Elanore Dolly (Lynd) Allen in Detroit, MI. She enjoyed growing up on the lake where she learned to swim across the lake by the age of 5. She received her first communion and was confirmed at Our Lady of Refuge in Orchard Lake, MI. She attended elementary school in Dublin, MI. Jan also enjoyed ice skating and water skiing as a child. She graduated from high school at St. Michaels Catholic School, Pontiac, MI in 1956. She graduated from nursing school in 1957 at McAulley School of Practical Nursing. She also graduated from NCTC with an AA degree.

She met her husband John Cullen at a CYO fun night at St. Gregorys Catholic Parish Hall in Detroit, MI in February and in August they were married. Jan was united in marriage to John Cullen on August 23, 1958 in Milford, MI. She didnt learn to cook until after her marriage as her mothers kitchen was too small for more than one person. They lived in Poughkeepsie, NY for a couple of years and then moved to Bemidji, MN while John attended college. They then lived in Moorhead, MN for 3 years and then moved to a farm near Oklee, MN for 10 years. In 1974 they settled in Goodridge.

Jan worked as an LPN, at Arctic Cat for a couple of years and McDonalds in Thief River Falls for 5 years. John and she ran the Goodridge Caf for a time. Jan was a Goodridge First Responder for many years, served as a fire dispatcher, was a city council member in Goodridge for many years, and the Acting Mayor of Goodridge, MN. Jan enjoyed volunteer work and was active in church activities on the local and diocese level. She and John also raised six foster children.

At various times in her life she was active in the following organizations: Garden Club, Birthday Club, Saddle Club, 4-H Leader, MCCL, Hampton Moose Lodge, Hampton, VA, served on the Northwest Area Development Board for many years, the senior housing board, the snowmobile club, was on several bowling leagues in Oklee, the Red Hat Society, and the Goodridge Lioness.

Jan enjoyed reading, Bible study, playing cards, (her most recent favorite game was Skip Bo), board games, bingo, dice, going to Koinonia and Corsilla retreats, watching movies, holding, kissing and cuddling babies, playing computer games, emailing, updating, and reading her Caring Bridge website & traveling-both driving and flying. She especially enjoyed going on her many trips to see her family in Michigan. She enjoyed visiting with her many friends from all around the area, spending time with her family, friends, and extended church family. She enjoyed the closeness of belonging to a small church and community and liked going up to the caf for coffee or lunch. In her younger adult years she enjoyed swimming, snowmobiling, and horseback riding. She taught herself to knit and crochet. She also took classes to decorate cakes.

Jan is survived by her husband of 50 years, John Cullen, Goodridge, MN, 7 children: Lynn (Bromley) Carr, Thief River Falls, MN, Bonita (special friend Jeff Cole) Cullen, Hampton, VA, Donna (special friend Alden Skadsem) Knott, Newfolden, MN, John (Maryline) Cullen, Mission Viejo, CA, Dianne (Kim) Christopherson, McIntosh, MN, Daniel Cullen, Thief River Falls, MN, Edward (fiance Lynne Janssen) Cullen, Thief River Falls, MN, 12 grandchildren: Sally (Gene) Roller, Warren, MN, Eric (special friend Amanda Grembowski) Hagen, Thief River Falls, MN, David (special friend Natasha Gillund) Hagen, Thief River Falls, MN, Cynthia (Trigg) Wold, Bonaire, GA, Chris (Kelly) Halvorson, Fargo, ND, Adam Knott, Fargo, ND, Alyshia Knott Thief River Falls, MN, Bobbie-Jean Cullen, Mission Viejo, CA, Jill (Brett) Schulz, Euclid, MN, Samantha Christopherson, McIntosh, MN, Emily Cullen, GA, Amy Cullen, GA, 10 great grandchildren: Molly, Hunter & Mackenzie Roller, Donavin & Nicholas Hagen, Aiden, Aunnika & Baby Wold, Aubriana Halvorson, Katelynn & Taylor Schulz, her mother Dolly Allen, Pontiac, MI, 4 sisters: Patricia (Lenny) Medel, Saginaw, MI, Michelle (Keith) Hartley, Fort Pierce, FL, Margaret (Deforest) Sanford, Pontiac, MI, Judy (John) Traxler, Colorado Springs, CO, 2 brothers in law Joe Cullen, North Pole, AK, Doug (Virginia) Cullen, Goodridge, MN, 5 sisters in law: Marilyn Cullen, Goodridge, MN, Margaret (Warren) Syverson, Thief River Falls, MN, Agnes (Ray) Kuznia, Stephen, MN, Lauretta (Eddy) Stucy, Goodridge, MN, Joanne Allen, Royal Oak, MI. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces and nephews, cousins, several other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father Mitchell Allen, and one brother Lynd Allen, grandparents, nephews Chad Johnson, Patrick Kuznia, Greg Syverson, niece Jenny Cullen, brothers in law Tommy Cullen and Robert Cullen, father in law Tom W. Cullen, mother in law Leola Cullen, special friends Elaine Wiseth and Pam Hamm, both who lost their lives to cancer.

ORGANIST: Bonnie Njaa
CASKETBEARERS: Jans grandsons, Eric Hagen, Chris Halvorson, Adam Knott, David Hagen, Gene Roller, Brett Schulz
HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: Goodridge Fire Department and First Responders and all family and friends.