Florence M. Stocker, longtime resident of Jordan, entered eternal life at the age of 82. A visitation will be held Monday, June 24, 2019 from 4-7PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Jordan. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 11AM with visitation 1-hour prior, all at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Jordan. Florence will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery. Father Neil Bakker will preside, and Florence’s grandchildren will act as pallbearers.

On March 13, 1937, Florence Marie Pumper was born in New Prague to parents, Stanley and Agnes (Maxa) Pumper. She was the second youngest of the family. Throughout life, Florence was proud of her Czech heritage. She attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School and graduated in 1955 from the New Prague High School. Following her graduation, Florence began working as a telephone operator.

Florence’s life was enriched when she met a young man, Ralph Stocker, at the Park Ballroom. After Ralph’s discharge from the Army, the couple exchanged wedding vows October 27, 1956 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in New Prague.

The newlyweds settled in Jordan and began a family. Florence was a considerate, loving mother—she truly dedicated herself to her family. When the children were older, she returned to work and for over 25 years, Florence cleaned houses. While unconventional at the time, Florence also worked as a successful welder at Minnesota Valley Engineering (Chart Industries) until her retirement. For a few additional years, Florence worked part-time at the Jordan School Kid’s Company. She treated every child like they were her own grandchildren.

Florence was always on the go! She enjoyed gardening, antiquing, and looking for the best deals at garage sales. In her free time, Florence could be found with her family & friends or spending time enjoying her cats. For over 50 years, she participated in Card Club with her long-time friends. Along with her family, Florence enjoyed fishing, camping, attending polka masses and local church festivals. A fan of classic country music, Florence and Ralph took a yearly trip to Branson, Missouri. Florence frequently volunteered at St. John’s Fall Festival and looked forward to it annually.

A skilled seamstress, Florence shared her talents with others. She quilted blankets for all her grandchildren and loved putting together special, heartfelt gifts for them. The holidays were so important to Florence. She was such a proud grandmother!

Florence was full of life, independent, upbeat, and greeted everyone with a smile. She was greatly loved and will be missed by her children, Gary Stocker, Cindy (Doug Sonnicksen) McGovern, Shari (Tom) Koenig; grandchildren, Chad Parker, Cole Stocker, Carlee Stocker, Bryan Johnson, Amy McGovern, Erin McGovern, Ashley Koenig, Andrew Koenig, Madison Koenig; great-granddaughters, Zoe Johnson, Ana Parker; sisters-in-law, Dorothy A. Pumper, Dorothy J. Pumper, Ruth Stocker; many other relatives and friends.

Florence is reunited in Heaven with her husband, Ralph; son, Mike Stocker; siblings, Jane (Ben) Kadrlik, Myles Pumper, Caroline (Lloyd) Segna, John Pumper, infant siblings Eugene and Irene; parents; brothers and sisters-in-law, Elmer (Bernice) Stocker, Theresa (Alfred) Huckenpoehler, Rosalia (Emanuel) Kes, Sr. Josephine Stocker O.F.M., Melvin (Adeline) Stocker, Marcella (Septer) Johnson, Willie Stocker and Irene (Bernie) Schambour.

LaVerne N. Coghill, of Jordan (formerly of New Prague) passed away June 6, 2019 at the age of 90. Mass of Christian Burial is Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 11:00 AM with visitation one-hour prior at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (313 East Second Street) in Jordan. LaVerne will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery in Jordan.

On April 24, 1929, LaVerne Natalie Picha was born to parents Arthur & Emma (Sticha) Picha. LaVerne was the oldest of three and grew up in New Prague. She attended St. Wenceslaus School. LaVerne began playing the flute at a very young age, and she played the rest of her life.

As a young woman, LaVerne met the love of her life, Jesse Coghill. They exchanged wedding vows on August 5, 1950. They settled on Jesse’s family farm to raise their family. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Bruce, Sheila & Mark.

LaVerne was a “city girl” at heart, but she enjoyed living on the farm. She was a wonderful homemaker, but didn’t get too involved with farming. LaVerne was an excellent cook, and she always made sure her family and the neighbors were well fed. She made delicious hotdishes and had many signature Bohemian recipes she made.

Although she was a homemaker for most of her life, LaVerne did work outside the home for a few years. She was a Nurse’s Aide at Valley View and Queen of Peace Hospital. She was a natural caretaker and brightened the day of her patients.

In her free time, LaVerne loved playing the flute, singing in the church choir and painting. LaVerne was a talented artist, and her landscapes look like they were professionally painted. She also enjoyed gardening and always kept beautiful gardens at the farm. Jesse & LaVerne took many road trips throughout the United States. She also traveled to the England and Ireland to learn more about her heritage. LaVerne was a lover of cats, and a cute little kitty could always put a smile on her face.

When LaVerne moved to the Belle Plaine Lutheran Home, she quickly became a beloved resident and received wonderful care from the entire staff. She was a caring woman with a big heart. LaVerne will always be remembered for her feisty spirit.

LaVerne is loved and remembered by her husband of 69 years, Jesse Coghill; children, Bruce (Doris Plocher) Coghill, Sheila (Thomas) Tamaro and Mark Coghill.

LaVerne was greeted in Heaven by her parents, Arthur & Emma Picha; brothers, Vernen (Iris) Picha and Virgil (Ona) Picha and daughter-in-law, Sheryl Coghill.

Richard (Rich) Hartman, of Jordan, passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2019 at the age of 90. A visitation will be held Thursday, June 6, 2019 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (104 First Street West) in Jordan. Mass of Christian Burial is Friday, June 7, 2019 at 11:00 AM with visitation one-hour prior at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (313 Second Street East) in Jordan. Steven Dohmen, Shane Herman, Jacob Lucas, Tom Schepers, Brian Berger, Tucker Luskey, Krista Danner and Katen Hartman will act as urn bearers. Rich will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery with military honors provided by the Jordan Honor Guard.

On February 19, 1929, Richard Philip Hartman was born to Edward & Clara (Wick) Hartman. Rich loved growing up on the family farm in St. Benedict. He was just nine years old when his father passed away, so Rich quickly learned the importance of hard work. He was always so proud when his mother complimented him on his straight rows and his good crops.

In 1948, Rich enlisted in the United State Army. He served during the Korean War. He was stationed in Korea and received two Purple Hearts for his courageous service and injuries received in battle. Rich was honorably dicharged in 1952. While home on leave, Rich met Marjorie Huss, a young Union Hill girl, at a local barn dance. Love quickly blossomed. Rich and Margie were married on July 14, 1953, and they settled in Jordan to raise their family. The family enjoyed going to baseball games, swimming at Fish Lake and taking family drives on Sunday afternoons, followed by ice cream cones at Wey’s Webb gas station. The family took a yearly trip to a cabin in northern Minnesota and made so many wonderful memories. One of Rich & Margie’s fondest memories was a trip to Hawaii. They were also involved in the Polka Club of America, traveling around the state to dance in competitive events. The couple volunteered at St. John’s as religion teachers and were also members of the Ark of Yahweh prayer community. They strove to pass this strong faith in God on to their children.

When Margie passed away, Rich was heartbroken but managed to find happiness again. Rich and Ann met at a polka dance where a mutual friend introduced them. At first Ann thought Rich was too good to be true, but she quickly learned that he really was as wonderful as he seemed. Rich & Ann were married August 3, 1996. They embraced each other’s families and made a wonderful life together.

They enjoyed playing cards, dancing and cheering on the MN Twins. Rich could watch Gun Smoke and other westerns for hours on end. Rich & Ann also took many memorable road trips together with some of their favorite destinations being Texas, Arizona, Montana & the Grand Canyon.

Rich was always a hard worker. Throughout his life, he worked at the local creamery and feed mills. He ran the Corner Bar and the Hamburger Home Cafe. Rich also worked for Pekarna’s Meat Market. He had a long career in construction. He was a commercial builder for Kraus-Anderson. In retirement, Rich worked as a custodian at Jordan Elementary School, and all the students loved him!

When Rich truly retired, he had more time to spend with family and pursue his hobbies. He enjoyed bowling, going to Little Six Casino, watching old TV shows and baking. Rich was also a wonderful cook. Chili was his specialty, and he made a huge batch every Sunday. Throughout his life Rich was involved in many organizations: Knights of Columbus, American Legion, VFW, Disabled American Veterans, Honor Guard and Jordan Fire Department.

Six years ago, Rich & Ann moved into Brentwood Apartments. Rich had several health struggles, and in December, he began hospice. Rich received excellent care from his entire hospice team. On June 3, 2019, Rich passed away with Ann by his side.

He was a happy-go-lucky guy. Rich had a huge heart and a great sense ofhumor. He will be forever loved and missed by wife, Annice “Ann” Hartman; children, Charlene (David) Koepp, Bruce Hartman, Wendy (Steve) Dohmen, Brenda (Jack) Herman, Shelly (Jim) Lucas, Terry (Dave) Schepers, Cindy (Kevin) Berger, Dale (Sue) Hartman, Bonnie (Jeff) Luskey; Ann’s children, Laurene (Mike) Kietzer, Douglas (Linnea) Kuhl, Gregory (Beth) Kuhl, Valarie Kuhl, Suzanne (Bill) Roetzer, Kurt Kuhl; 47 grandchildren & 45 great-grandchildren; siblings, Alan Hartman & Alice Schanus; sister-in-law, Armella Hinderscheit; and other loving relatives & friends.

Rich was greeted in Heaven by his first wife, Margie Hartman; infant children, Ricky & Mary; grandson, Nathan Herman; parents, Ed & Clara Hartman; siblings, Virgil Hartman, Harold (Annie) Hartman, Elvira (Danny) Mornson; sister-in-law,Alda Hartman, and brother-in-law, Donny Schanus.

Welcome to the redesigned website for Saint John the Baptist in Jordan Minnesota!

SAINT JOHN VIANNEY RELIC PILGRIMAGE 
Thursday, May 30th—the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney comes to Holy Family!
7 PM Welcome of the Relic and Solemn Vespers.

https://hfcmn.org/news/vianney-relic

ACT OF LOVE OF SAINT JOHN VIANNEY
I love Thee, O my God. 
My only desire is to love Thee, 
until the last breath of my life.

I love Thee, O infinitely loveable God, 
and I prefer to die loving Thee, 
rather than to live for an instant without Thee.

I love Thee, O my God, 
and I desire only to go to Heaven, 
to have the happiness of loving Thee perfectly.

I love Thee, O my God, 
and my only fear is to go to Hell, 
because one will never have the sweet 
solace of loving Thee there. 

O my God, if my tongue cannot say 
at all times that I love Thee, 
at least I want my heart to repeat it to Thee! 
as many times as I breathe. Ah! Do me the grace 
to suffer while loving Thee, 
to love Thee while suffering, 
and, that when I die: 
I not only will love Thee, 
but experience it in my heart.

I beg Thee that: the closer I come to my final end, 
Thou wilt increase and perfect my love for Thee. Amen.

Congratulations to St. John the Baptist Church Parishioners and School Alumni, graduating from Jordan High School Class of 2019!

TOWN HALL MEETING
Coming off the heels of a very successful Stakeholders meeting with our various leadership committees (Finance Council, Parish Council, School Advisory Council, Trustees, etc.), it is now necessary for us to have a parish-wide & school-wide town hall meeting to discuss the future of Saint John the Baptist Catholic School. This will be a positive conversation discussing enrollment decline, financial difficulties, and the many opportunities to improve our school.

Please join us for this VERY important meeting on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019 at 6:30pm in Louis Hall.

It would be helpful for us, if you would RSVP by filling out the form on this webpage: http://bit.ly/SJBJordanTownHall

Congratulations Saint John's Parish Member, Sarah Houdek, on winning Jordan Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019!

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/jordan_independent/news/education/school_briefs/jordan-public-schools-announces-teachers-of-the-year/article_4ff00a15-5347-5d00-9f43-44ad06ed8ad9.html

POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED

!!! URGENT NEED !!!
We are in need of someone to service the Calvary cemetery (mow and trim) throughout the summer. The job should take no more than 15 hours per week, and pays $20/hour. The cemetery will need to be mowed about once a week. 
If you know someone who would be interested,
please contact Jonathan Brandtner at pba@sjbjordan.org.

We are very proud of valedictorian Claire Stocker, an alumnus of St John the Baptist School, Jordan Minnesota, and the daughter of our school faculty member Kristin Stocker! We are equally proud of parishioner Trace Shimek for being named this years salutatorian! Saint John's Catholic Parish and School were very well represented on Monday at Senior Awards Night!!

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/jordan_independent/news/education/class-of-receives-scholarships-awards/article_d6fa4ac9-892c-5d7f-9335-dacf7b700134.html

Eldon Helget, of Jordan (formerly of Leavenworth/Sleepy Eye), passed away May 25, 2019 at the age of 74. A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (104 First Street West) in Jordan. Mass of Christian Burial is Friday, May 31, 2019 at 11:00 AM with visitation one-hour prior at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (313 East Second Street) in Jordan. Father Neil Bakker will preside.

On October 6, 1944, Eldon Vernard Helget was born to Edwin & Alice (Braulick) Helget. Eldon was one of fifteen children. He grew up in Leavenworth near Sleepy Eye and always loved playing baseball. He was on the local teams through his childhood and high school.

After graduating from Sleepy Eye High School, Eldon began working as a truck driver. He had a strong work ethic. He also was proud to serve in the National Guard Reserves for a couple years. When he wasn’t working, Eldon enjoyed riding his Harley motorcycle and spending time with friends.

As a young man, he married Carol Johnson. They eventually went their separate ways, but their marriage was blessed with three sons, Terry, Darrin & Jeremy. Soon Eldon began working for Midland Glass. This is where he met the love of his life, Linda Fuhrman. Eldon asked her out on a date. She accepted, and the rest was history. Eldon and Linda were married January 17, 1976. They settled in Jordan and had two girls, Heather & Heidi.

Eldon worked hard to provide a good life for his family. Throughout the years he worked as a truck driver for Dietrich, was an outside lumber yard manager at Menards, and drove for Kraemer & Sons. He and Linda also ran Budget Video in Jordan for more than a decade. When it came time for Eldon to retire, he kept busy as a driver for Wolf Motors and Genesis. He loved working at both businesses and made many wonderful friends along the way.

When he wasn’t working, Eldon spent a lot of time outdoors. He was an avid fisherman. The Helgets took a family fishing trip in Detroit Lakes every summer. Eldon also loved horses. He even got a bright red horse trailer to match his beloved red pick-up truck. Eldon kept a beautiful lawn and made sure it was mowed in perfectly straight lines. He also was a wonderful gardener and also tried to grow the biggest tomatoes and potatoes.

In his free time, Eldon enjoyed cheering on the local sports teams, especially the MN Twins & Vikings. He and Linda enjoyed playing cards with some family & friends. They played Sheephead. When grandkids came along, Eldon had a new passion in life. He was a wonderful grandpa to his eight grandsons. Eldon also got to be a bonus grandpa to Connor & Callie while Linda was providing daycare for them. Callie was the granddaughter Eldon never had, and he loved treating her like a princess.

Eldon was recently diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. After 7 weeks of going between Abbott Northwestern Hospital & Ridgeview Rehab Center, Eldon passed away peacefully with his wife, daughter Heather, son-in-law Tom & a close family friend Tommy Kabus by his side. Eldon was a kind and hard-working man who loved his family deeply.

He will be remembered always by his wife, Linda Helget; children, Terry (Rochelle) Helget, Darrin Helget, Jeremy Helget, Heather (Tom) Jaszczak & Heidi Goldberg; grandsons, Dustin, Logan, Bryce, Cole, Daniel, Dane, Hudson & Mordechai; siblings, Kathy (Donnie) Ludewig, Luella Ricke, Whitey Helget, Lanette (Bill) Hanson, Wes (Lori) Helget, Donna (Wally) Beranek, Daniel (Sue) Helget, Harlan (Nita) Helget, Lowell (Connie) Helget, Bobby (Lori) Helget, Rolene (Mark) Fromm, Janice (Jon) Schauman, Brian (Janee) Helget, Betsy (Randy) Jensen & many nieces, nephews & friends.

Eldon was greeted in Heaven by his parents and brother-in-law, Tom Ricke.

We are honored to present our newly confirmed parish members! Congratulations! We can’t wait to see where God’s Love takes you. Thank you to Tina Goetz, Denise Weber, parents and teachers for your thoughtful preparation & guidance.

Saint John the Baptist School in Jordan forms Literacy Partnership with Groves Academy! Click here to find out more!

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/jordan_independent/news/education/st-john-s-school-forms-literacy-partnership-with-groves-academy/article_bf366dd2-8958-5bd6-889c-3f8f4ef0cb4d.html

First Holy Communion 2019 - Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church & School