Joanne Lucile Kovall

The funeral service is live-streamed at:  https://www.ourlivingwater.org/joannekovall.html

Joanne Lucile (Nichols) Kovall, age 87 of Willmar, died on Tuesday, June 4, at Bethesda Grand in Willmar.  

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 8, at the Church of St Mary in Willmar.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be in the church cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Fred A. Kovall Memorial Scholarship at Ridgewater College.  Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.   www.petersonbrothers.com

Joanne Lucile Nichols Kovall was born on September 16, 1936, in Crosby, Minnesota, the daughter of Bill and Lucile (Olmschenk) Nichols.  She grew up in Crosby and graduated from Crosby-Ironton High School in 1954.  On January 5, 1957, Joanne was united in marriage to Frederick Anthony Kovall, and they made their home in Crosby.  In 1958, they moved to Owatonna and in 1971, they moved to Willmar.  Joanne was an amazing mother. She was a gifted seamstress.  She made clothes for her kids and taught her daughters to sew.

Joanne started working at Willmar Community College, which became Ridgewater, helping at the end and beginning of the quarters.  This job eventually led to full-time employment as the manager of the bookstore.   Joanne was a great baker, she made poticia, caramel rolls, chocolate cinnamon rolls and the favorite, Grama rolls. 

Joanne was a member of the Church of St Mary.  She served as a Eucharistic Minister and member of the Daughters of Isabella.   She went to the YMCA for more than twenty years doing water aerobics, even though she was afraid of the water!   After retirement, Joanne learned to quilt and made hundreds of quilts for family and loved ones.  

She is survived by her five children, Fred (and Jessie) Kovall, Rita (and Jeff) Pattison, Kevin (and Katy) Kovall, Theresa (and Dave) Schlenker and Nichole (and Todd) Rens; twelve grandchildren, Kim (and Kelly) Manseau, Amy Kovall, Billy (and Sarah) Pattison, Michael (and Linze) Pattison, Annie (and Fernando) Pattison-Mier, Tony (and Laura) Kovall, Vera Kovall, Tori Kovall, Will Kovall, Mac Schlenker, Ethan Rens and Linnea Rens; and six great grandchildren, Marshall, Molly, Noah, Olivia, Lucy and Matthew.  Also surviving is one sister, Cherie (and Dan) McMahon and one brother-in-law, Daniel (and Sue) Kovall, besides many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents.