Joanne Lorraine Valentin

Joanne Valentin, age 82, of Shakopee and formerly of Marshall, Minnesota, died on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at All Saints Senior Living in Shakopee, Minnesota. Memorial Services are at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 5, 2024, at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Marshall, Minnesota. Interment will be in the Marshall Cemetery, followed by a reception for attendees back at the AmericInn Hotel in Marshall. Visitation will be held one hour prior to her service, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 5, also at the Hamilton Funeral Home. 

Joanne Lorraine (Schaffran) Valentin was born May 22, 1941, to George and Gesena (Sene) (Schmiesing) Schaffran. She was the youngest of 4 children. Joanne was born on the family farm in Lucan, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at the Johnsonville Lutheran Church in Lucan, MN.  She graduated in 1959 from Wabasso High School.  After graduation, she moved to Minneapolis attending Minnesota School of Business and worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone.  

On June 3rd in 1960, she met Jim Valentin on the back of a Grey Hound bus as she headed home for a family graduation. They were married on March 4, 1961, in the Johnsonville Lutheran Church in Lucan, MN. During their 60 years of marriage, Joanne and Jim made their home in Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington and then Marshall. While in Marshall, they opened their home to exchange students, a teacher from China and those that needed a place to stay while they were in Marshall.

Joanne loved her boys, she always said “her boys are her life”. She enjoyed attending as many of their activities as she could. Besides being a homemaker and raising their 2 boys, Joanne worked as a Teacher’s Aide at Hillcrest Elementary in Bloomington, Minnesota. After moving to Marshall in September 1981 she worked as a church secretary at St Stephens Lutheran, Bremer Bank, KMART, JC Penney catalog, and the Marshall Independent as a receptionist.  

Joanne loved giving anyone and everyone a hard time with her quick wit. During her retirement she enjoyed spending time at the lake, collecting snow villages, serving as a bailiff for Lyon County, and assisting as a wedding coordinator for many weddings. Joanne and Jim volunteered extensively at First Lutheran Church – they were active as ushers, coffee servers, and sponsored many radio broadcasts among other roles.  Joanne enjoyed playing cards, calling Bingo every week at Hardees, and she even continued her Bingo calling career at All Saints Senior Living in Shakopee. Joanne cherished her grandkids and grand puppies.

Joanne Valentin died peacefully on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Shakopee, Minnesota. She had reached the age of 82 years, 11 months, and 3 days. Blessed be her memory.

Joanne leaves behind her sons David of Shakopee, MN and Dean of Rice Lake, WI; 3 grandchildren Londyn of Shakopee, MN, Garrett of Albuquerque, NM, and Lyndsey of Albuquerque, NM; sister, Darlene of Hoffman, MN; brothers-in-law, Bruno, Robert and John; and sisters-in-law, Martha and Mary Ann. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Gesena; husband, James "Jim"; brothers, Lester and Dennis; along with brothers-in-law, Karl, William, Walter, Arnold, and Richard; and sisters-in-law, Helen and Margaret Anderson.