Jennifer Ann Gullekson

Jennifer Ann Gullekson, 79, died peacefully at home with her husband Gary and children by her side on Friday, February 21, 2025, after a short struggle with cancer. Jennifer was born April 7, 1945 to Norman and Gladys Erickson. She had a happy childhood with her brothers, who everyone knew as Jimmy, Junior, Jerry, and Donny. She met the love of her life as a sophomore in high school. She was a cheerleader and played in the school band. Jennifer graduated from Fertile High School and attended Bemidji State. She left college to marry Gary Kent Gullekson in August of 1964. They made a life on the family farm, and she became a mom to Lee Ann, Grant Kelly and Lana Kaye. She was an active business manager for the farm and was the glue that kept everything together for an operation that spanned four generations. As a mom, she made sure that her girls got piano lessons, that her son learned to fly and all her children went to college. Under her leadership, the Beltrami 4-H Club and its members won many county and state awards. She was an active volunteer and coordinated the Beltrami Centennial celebration and countless other anniversaries, birthdays, and parties. Jennifer was an accomplished quilter and seamstress. She taught adult education sewing classes and made hundreds of quilts that she donated to various charities and missions. Jennifer was the inspiration for the book, Grandy’s quilt. 

Jennifer was diagnosed with Lupus in 1970 and was continually learning new ways to survive with the disease. Through her many health scares, she made friends everywhere she went. Jennifer and Gary traveled throughout the US. Their favorite trips were out west. Jennifer had a deep and abiding love for her family and friends and most of all, Gary. Birthdays were big events and always involved pretty napkins. She was a wonderful grandmother. She invested many hours teaching her grandchildren sewing, crafts, reading, and gardening. Her hugs were legendary. She loved music from classical to the 50’s, from silly songs to country. She made collections of music for her good friends. She was an avid reader, typically finishing at least one book a week.

Jennifer was a woman of faith. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Concordia Lutheran Church in Fertile. She became a member of Beltrami United Methodist Church. Following the dissolution of the church in Beltrami, she embraced Scandia Lutheran Church, and in the later years loved watching all the local services on tv. During her last days, she ministered to everyone who came to visit her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and her brothers Norm Erickson Jr and Donald Erickson. She is survived by Gary, her husband of 60 years, her mother in law, Marian Lee Gullekson, brothers James (Kathleen) Erickson of Saratoga, CA and Jerry (Patricia) Erickson of Prescott, WI, her sister in law Lois Erickson of Virginia Beach, VA, her children, Lee Ann (Jeff) Grimley, Grant Kelly (Rachel) Gullekson, and Lana Kaye Gullekson; her grandchildren Anna (Riley) Thiesfeld, Joseph Jay (Aleasea) Grimley, Ella Victoria Anderson, Gustav Karl and Granger Ken Gullekson, her great grandchildren Lillian Lee and Monty Allen Thiesfeld and Jensen Jay and Drue Guinevere Grimley; and many nieces and nephews.

Many thanks to her very special friends, Linda and Bonnie and her niece, Naomi. She and Gary would like to thank the Hospice of the Red River Valley. Thanks also to the Benedictine Living Center in Ada, who helped her recover from earlier challenges. Donations in Jennifer’s memory can be made to the Fairview Cemetery Fund (Beltrami) or the Hospice of the Red River Valley. Per her wishes, her body has been cremated, and there will be a celebration of a life well lived.

A memorial service celebrating Jennifer's life will be held at Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 3:00pm. Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will take place at a later date in the Spring.