Janell L. Van Heuveln, age 79, of Sartell and formerly of Willmar, died Tuesday, October 28, at the St. Cloud Hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 31, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. Interment will be at Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.
Janell Lenore Van Heuveln was born on April 6, 1935, in Atwater, Minnesota, the daughter of Raymond and Pearl (Norbie) Hopkins. She grew up and received her education in Willmar. When Janell was the age of 11, her mother died. Her sister Betty helped raise the children. In 1954, Janell came to know the Lord as her personal savior. Janell was married to Ronald Van Heuveln in 1955 and they lived in Raymond and later moved to Willmar. She was employed at Juba’s Foods and later at the Willmar Public Schools in food service. Janell served and cared for many in need throughout her life. She enjoyed cooking, art, painting china, playing card games, listening to others and serving her Lord. She understood God’s grace and lived for him.When asked in her final days what she would like to say to the grandchildren. Her answer was "Will I see you in heaven?"
She is survived by four children, Rhonda (and Kenneth) Pearson, Pamela Van Heuveln, Ronald Van Heuveln (and Kimberly Kowach) and John (and Roseanne) Van Heuveln; twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Betty Manley and Cheryl Lukason; one brother, Richard (and Claudia) Hopkins and one brother-in-law, and Ronald Hagen; and nieces and nephews that she loved like her own.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Pearl; her twin sister, Janet Hagen; two brothers, Delbert Hopkins and Luvern Norbie; brother-in-law, Robert Manley and Ronald Van Heuveln in 1995.