Jack Mertes Funeral

Friday, May 19, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Jack Albert Mertes, age 93 of Edina. Husband. Dad. Grandpa. Athlete. Artist. Musician. Storyteller. Medical miracle. Gently passed away on March 1, 2023, with loved ones by his side.

Jack was born in Winona and graduated from Winona High School in 1947, where he was a 9-time letter winner in football, basketball, baseball and band. In football, Jack was a Big Nine Conference All Star at Winona and was a University of Minnesota Golden Gopher playing for coach Bernie Bierman and Butch Nash. Jack was one of the last of the “Bernie’s Boys” and a Golden Gopher for life. In baseball, Jack served as captain of the Winhawks, pitched for the American Legion Winona Post 9 team, the Winona Dukes of the Junior Southern Minnesota League, spent a season at St. Mary's College and, at the U of M, lead his fraternity (ATO) to the intramural championship after pitching 3 games in 2 days. In his post-college days, Jack played handball and tennis, mainly for the post-match meals at McNamara’s Bar and TJ's.

In addition to being a gifted athlete and musician, Jack was a lifelong artist. He studied art at the U of M and sculpture at UCLA with Bernard “Tony” Rosenthal and was invited to apprentice with Tony at his studio in California. As a starving artist, Jack worked at the famous Bullock’s in Westwood Village and sold cashmere sweaters to the Hollywood elite including Fred MacMurray and Claude Rains.

Jack had a varied career, including memorable stints with Watkins, Miller Publishing, and Principal Financial, as well as early adventures laying railroad ties and building coal cars for the Milwaukee Road, loading trucks at the Grain Belt Brewery and working the carnival circuit throughout the Midwest for concessions king Frank Campbell with lifelong friend Howard Cohen.

Jack married Patricia Irwin in 1956. Together, they built a loving home and had five children. Jack and Pat always encouraged their children and grandchildren in their artistic, athletic, and academic endeavors and were very active in their children's lives, including chairing the best ever 1969 Wooddale Carnival which featured a Space Age theme. They were also founding members of the Crew of Harriet.

Jack and Pat enjoyed memorable travels to Florida, Maui, Mexico and Europe - especially France, as well as numerous family trips in the trusty Country Squire station wagon. They loved live music and theatre and happily recounted tales of seeing original Broadway productions such as “Camelot” starring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet; and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” starring Zero Mostel, a show which Pat said made her laugh so hard it hurt. Jack enjoyed memorable shows at Turner Auditorium and was delighted to meet Duke Ellington on a train to Chicago.

Jack was always up for a food-related outing, whether it was to Winona’s Hot Fish Shop, Mac's Fish and Chips, Salut, Perkins (where he enjoyed the choices on the 55+ menu, especially the turkey dinner), Dayton's Oak Grill, Snuffy's, Pannekoecken Huis for thick split-pea soup and Saturday morning breakfasts, and grocery shopping at Jerry's.

No outfit was complete without one of his stylish baseball caps customized with just the right pin, button, or patch (usually with a U of M theme).

Jack had an eye for great cars and owned a 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible and a 1964 Ford Mustang as new cars. It was fitting that the last film Jack saw in a movie theatre was “Ford vs. Ferrari.”

Jack was an avid newspaper reader and a fan of political cartoonist Steve Sack. Jack even suggested an idea to Sack, which Sack turned into one of his creative works of art.

When Jack's first grandchild John was asked to bring someone to Highlands Elementary for Favorite Person Day, the youngster had a wide variety of options. His Favorite Person? Grandpa Jack, also known as Pappers!

Preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Pat; his parents, Frank J. and Lillian Mertes; brother, Frank G. Mertes, and daughter Amy Mertes Dingmann. Survived by son Jack (Lori); daughters Ann (Rick Griffith), Jennifer, and Maribeth (Todd Hegg); and grandchildren John, Nick and Mollie Mertes and Ethan and Owen Hegg. Jack was a proud father and grandfather and loved them all – equally and well.

Our heartfelt thanks to the caring hospice team at Park Nicollet including the nurses, doctors, social workers, shower ladies, massage therapists, music therapists, priests, ministers and the medical supply delivery guys that conversed and comforted Jack every day.

Jack’s final two days were spent at Our Lady of Peace, a very special place that helped Dad take his final steps. It was a blessing he was in their care.

Memorials preferred to the Amy Mertes Dingmann Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of St. Thomas.

Therese Meszaros Funeral

Friday, April 21, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Therese M. Meszaros, 92, a resident of Edina, Minnesota for more than 50 years, passed away on March 17 in Durham, North Carolina. She is survived by four sons, five grandsons, two daughters-in-law, two great-grandchildren, three nieces and a sister-in-law. Her husband of 65 years, Edward, passed away in 2015, and her eldest son, Ed, passed away in 2001.

Therese retired in 2015 after a long career as a dietary specialist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, where she counseled patients with heart disease and diabetes. Therese was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1930. She and her growing family would move to Portland Oregon and then to San Jose, California, before moving to Edina in 1971, where her husband was an executive at Deluxe Corporation.

With her five sons grown up, Therese enrolled in Normandale Community College and earned an associate degree in Dietary Sciences. She also earned a certificate from the School Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, one of the world's most prestigious culinary institutes. Cooking was a passion throughout her life and she was a member of a gourmet club with friends.

Therese and Ed enjoyed ballroom dancing. She was also a competitive dancer. With a professional partner, Therese competed for more than 20 years in DanceSport pro-amateur championship competitions around the country, where she excelled in rhythm, Latin, swing, American smooth and international ballroom categories and won more than 30 "best student" awards. She competed in the senior category throughout her 70s, 80s, and early 90's, She was weeks before her 92nd birthday when she competed in her final competition at the Capital DanceSport Championships in Arlington, Virginia, in August 2022, where she again earned "best student" honors.

Therese enjoyed traveling around the world with family and close friends, playing golf, lunching and playing bridge with close friends, and long nature walks. She took her last international trip in September 2022 to England, Scotland, and Ireland.

A Memorial Service will be held at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, where the family were active members. Visitation will be held at Our Lady of Grace on April 21 at 10:00-10:30 AM as well as the night before at Washburn McReavy. A Funeral Mass will also be held at Holy Family Catholic Church in Hillsborough, North Carolina on Tuesday, March 28 at 10:00 AM.

Sylvia Krygowski Funeral

Saturday, March 18, 2023 | 1:00 PM | Chapel

Sylvia M. Krygowski, (nee Hadhazy) aged 95, formerly of Posen, Illinois, passed away on March 10, 2023, at Shakopee Friendship Manor in Shakopee, Minnesota. Preceded in death by her loving husband of 70 years, Raymond; her parents, Alex and Mary, and her brother, Melvin, Sylvia is survived by her sister, Barbara Klasinski; children, Bruce, Gail Derrow (Don) and Marcia Evans (Bill Dubbs); grandchildren, Alexis, Adrian, Nick, Lindsey Ruenger (Josh), Brad Evans (Katie), John Evans (Julianne), and James Evans (Emily). Great grandchildren include Harrison Evans, Jude Evans, Louisa Evans and Theo Ruenger. She was the beloved aunt of many nieces and nephews, and her longtime friends included many from her years in Posen. Sylvia was an avid reader, diarist, and crossword puzzler, and loved to spend Sunday afternoons reading in her easy chair by the fireplace in Posen. Her love of words extended to other languages as well. She was fluent in Polish, spoke a smattering of Hungarian, and understood the mass in Latin. She loved music (particularly the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday afternoons on the radio), dancing with her beloved Ray, and spending time in prayer.

The middle child of Mary and Alex, she was a hardworking student who achieved many academic awards due to her natural intelligence and disciplined work habits. In high school, Sylvia earned awards for her typing speed and error-free shorthand, thus assuring that when she graduated from Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois, she would join the workforce as a secretary. Her first job at age 16 was as a payroll clerk for a furnace company in Chicago. She often recounted the story of how she made a mistake her first week on the job, causing the men a 10 cent reduction in pay. Her boss told the men to give her a break, gave her time to rectify the matter, and she continued to work for Mr. Hubbard until her marriage to Ray. During her marriage, she worked for many years at Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois, then later for PMA Corporation in Lansing, Illinois, as administrative assistant and all-around “Girl Friday” to Herb Adler. She was well known for her precision and orderliness in all things. Sylvia lived in Posen almost her entire life, and it wasn’t until June of 2016 that she and Ray reluctantly moved to Hopkins, Minnesota, to be closer to her daughter for health reasons. Later, she and Ray moved to Friendship Manor Shakopee.

Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, Minnesota, at 1:00 PM. Gill Brothers Funeral Chapels, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are assisting the Krygowski family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Sylvia may be shared at www.GILLBROTHERS.com

In lieu of flowers, Memorials preferred to Children’s Minnesota Cancer Kids Fund Cancer Kids Fund & Charity.

Lynn Davis Funeral

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | 1:00 PM

We lost our beloved "bigger than life" Lynn (LD) who passed away from inevitable complications of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's. Born in Lime Springs, Iowa on February 20, 1947, he grew up on a dairy farm near Cresco, Iowa, son of Derrill and Dolores (Kleve) Davis. He loved detailing how he survived farming perils and helped his three younger sisters - Cheryl (Basztura), Constance and Marcia (Cannon- Davis) do the same. Ever competitive and a wrestler throughout high school, he graduated from Iowa State University in 1968 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and with the love of his life Sandra (Ottsen) Davis, whom he married that summer. He worked at Honeywell while obtaining his MBA from the University of Minnesota before he was lured away to join a then small firm, ADC Telecommunications. Lynn was a born leader, motivating to his team and consistently treating all employees with respect. In many of his years at ADC, he liked to point out, the division he led accounted for more than 100% of the company's profits. He touched all aspects of the business, after 26 years eventually retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer. Lynn said he "failed retirement" and that it took three tries before he finally got it right, trying his hand at private equity and then serving as President of August Technology before retiring for good. He stayed engaged with business by mentoring young leaders and serving on the company Boards of Flexsteel, STI, and Lion Precision. Over his career, he encouraged others to realize their potential, and gave them the trust and space they needed to achieve it. We will miss his big presence, competitive spirt, contagious sense of humor, down- to-earth style, and generosity. Lynn and Sandra loved the mountains, often skiing or hiking near their second home in Snowmass, Colorado. Annual canoe camping trips to the Boundary Waters were central to their lives from newlywed times through parenting and grandparenting. Lynn had a passion for athletics; he pitched slow-pitch softball from his teens through his 50's. He believed in the power and value of youth sports, both coaching and serving on the boards of the Edina Baseball and Basketball Associations. His photography hobby became a beautiful obsession which took him and Sandra on travels all over the world. From this he produced and shared annual nature photography calendars, while also creating a family calendar with photos that matched his pride and love for his six grandchildren. His sons - Chris Davis (Margaret King) with children Owen, Tyler, Clara and Audrey and his son Justin Davis (Lynn Kuo) with children Terren and Koda (born on Lynn's birthday) remember fondly their Opa's sense of humor, enthusiasm for life, and deep love that he showered on them. Above all he loved his family, cheering on his kids, grandkids and his wife, whom he believed could do anything. We will miss his fierce competitive spirit whether in athletics, family games, card games or fishing. He was tough, strong, self- assured and confident, belying his big, soft heart and faith in God. He was a rock star and our rock.

Visitation will be at noon on March 14 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina with the funeral mass to follow at 1:00 PM. Private burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Friends of the Boundary Waters friends-bwca.org Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996.

Brian Johnson Funeral

Monday, February 27 | 10:30 AM

Johnson, Brian Gary, age 50, of Edina passed away peacefully after a long fight with pneumonia and other numerous health struggles on February 13, 2023. Brian was born February 8, 1973 to Jane and Gary Johnson. He graduated from Roseau High School in 1991, received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1995. Brian worked in the Mutual Fund industry for the past 20 years, most recently with Eaton Vance. He had gained many different financial accreditations including the CPA, CIMA, IMCA and CSRIC. Brian made numerous friends through the finance world and was known for being kind, generous, thoughtful and fun to be around.

Brian has made an impact on so many lives. He had a gift of bringing people together. He created genuine relationships and took tremendous pride in his family. His love for his family was evident. Jack and Michael were his pride and joy. He liked nothing better than watching them play hockey, talking hockey and hanging at the rink. When he wasn't on the rink he loved to be on Lake Minnetonka, boating, wake surfing, fishing and pontooning. One of his favorite places to visit was Marco Island with the white beaches, warm sunshine, and sunsets. Brian loved to tell stories, listen to stories and laugh at stories. Some of his favorite memories were from his DU college days. He was a proud Badger!

He will be missed beyond measure by his wife of over 16 years, Betsy; sons, Jack (age 14) and Michael (age 12); parents, Jane and Gary Johnson; sister, Jen (Eric) Jensen; in-laws, Jean and Tony Navarro; Brother and sister in-laws, Jenny and Chris Strawn, Anne and Jason Haugen, Elle and Tim Bruno; and many nieces (Addie, Molly, Abby, Zoa and Lou) and nephews (Drew, Alex and George). Funeral service February 27, at Our Lady of Grace at 10:30am. Memorials preferred to Jack and Michael's education at GiveSendGo.

John Sheran Funeral

Friday, January 27 | 10:30 AM

Sheran, John Mark Age 72, of Bloomington, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2022. John is preceded in death by his parents, Chief Justice Robert Sheran and Jean Brown Sheran, and his brother Michael and sister-in-law Rizalina. He is survived by his wife of forty-six years, Christina; his three children and their spouses, Laura (Nicholas Pape), Jordan (Charles Barlow), and Michael (Stephanie Zuk); and six grandchildren: Owen, Emma, Ethan, Jack, Olivia, and Henry. He is also survived by three siblings and their spouses, Tom (Linda), Kathleen (Dean Doyscher), and Daniel (Nancy), and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. John was born in Mankato on June 6, 1950 and lived there through 6th grade. He then moved with his family to St. Paul when his father was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. John graduated from St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights and received his undergraduate degree and a law degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. John was gifted with a quick wit, a capacity to build lasting relationships, and a natural talent for music. Without formal instruction, he taught himself to play guitar and piano by ear, performing almost any song he heard for friends and family. He also loved to dance and was a favored dance partner wherever the bands were playing. Some of his closest friends came from a notorious group known as the Double Secret Probation SAE fraternity at Creighton University. Throughout his life, he remained close to many of his SAE brothers and continued to see them through his final days. These friends fondly remember his incredible sense of humor, nicknaming him "Blade" because of his sharp wit. John's keen ability to express an amusing and often hilarious twist on even the most mundane situations kept his family and friends laughing through many difficult times, including his struggle with cancer. After law school, John returned to Mankato in 1975 to work at the Farrish Law firm, where his father and uncle had previously practiced. He was mentored by Jerry Maschka and Bob Johnson and honed his skills as a litigator here. In 1992, John and his family moved to the Twin Cities where he joined the Leonard Street and Deinard firm. John was forever grateful to both firms for their support of his practice and for the lasting friendships he developed. John retired in 2016, hoping to build a mediation practice, but his cancer re-emergence disrupted that plan. John received many recognitions as a lawyer but none more meaningful than his induction into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only fellowship for attorneys who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality. After his nomination, he wrote in a letter to his uncle, Judge Miles Zimmerman, "I recently found out that you were behind my nomination to the American Trial Lawyers. I want to thank you for your vote of confidence, but I do feel a little like Groucho Marx who once said that he was hesitant to join any organization whose standards were so low as to accept him as a member." John felt God had blessed him in many ways beginning with his loving parents, strong sibling relationships, his caring wife, Christina, three exceptional children, and six fabulous grandchildren. For those who mourn his passing, we are left remembering the gifts he bestowed on us, his intelligence, kindness, sense of humor, love of music, and high regard for family and friends.

Joseph Anthony ‘Joe’ Tillman Funeral

Wednesday, January 25 | 11:00 AM

Tillman, Joseph Anthony "Joe" 91, of Brooklyn Center, MN, passed away peacefully December 21, 2022. He was born March 18, 1931, to Joseph and Mary (Trisko) Tillman in Melrose, MN. He served in the United States Marine Corps Band, which sparked his lifelong passion for music and travel.

He married Beatrice "Bea" Kuntz in 1956 and they raised their 3 daughters in Brooklyn Center, MN. He worked as a machinist at Honeywell for 38 years. During retirement, Joe and Bea wintered in Florida for over 20 years. A few years after Bea passed away, Joe developed a bond with Helen McFall, and they were partners for many years. Joe had an adventurous spirit and a loving heart, and he will be dearly missed. He is preceded in death by his wife Bea; parents; infant son Jerry; siblings Helen Byers, Norbert Tillman, MaryAnn McGee, Delores Ellibee, Donna Brown, Donald Tillman; and son-in-law Robert Smith. He is survived by his partner Helen McFall; daughters Janice (Raymond) Meixner, Julie Smith, Jean (David) Tillman; 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and sister Bernadine Rieland.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, January 25 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, MN, with visitation at 10 am, Funeral Mass at 11 am and lunch following. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Alzheimer's Association or North Memorial Health Hospice.

Tom Virgil Lynch Funeral

Monday, January 23 | 11:00 AM

Thomas Virgil Lynch, formerly of Edina, passed away peacefully Saturday, December 31, 2022. Visitation Sunday, January 22 at Gill Brothers Funeral Home, 5801 Lyndale Ave. S., from 2-5 pm and one hour prior to Mass at church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, January 23, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church 5071 Eden Ave. at 11:00 am. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thomas Virgil Lynch, please visit Heartfelt Sympathies Store.