Joan Fezler

Joan Fezler, died at the age of 86 years old on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at Alomere Health in Alexandria.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 11 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria with Father Matthew Kuhn officiating. Interment will be in the St. Nicholas Catholic Cemetery in Belle River, MN.

A visitation will take place on Monday, May 29, 2023, from 4 – 6 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

Joan Frances Trisko, the daughter of Frank and Mildred Trisko, was born on April 28, 1937, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Alexandria, MN. In 1955, she graduated from Central High School in Alexandria. While in High School she was active in the future nurse’s club, future teachers club, theater club, and the junior and senior class plays. She attended St. Francis School of Nursing in Breckenridge, MN 1955 – 1958. After nursing school, she worked at Our Lady of Mercy Hospital. In 1962, the Practical Nursing program was established at the once, Alexandria Area Vocational – Technical School, now, Alexandria Technical & Community College.  This was the fourth program created at the school and Joan was one of three Registered Nurses who pioneered this program. She was very proud of her nursing degree and loved visiting with fellow nurses who were caring for her in her later years, asking each one of them, “Where did you go to nursing school?” After a 17-year career as a Clinical Instructor in Practical Nursing, she worked in in two local nursing homes as Director of Nursing for 5 years. In 2002, Joan took a 3-month Registered Nurse Refresher Course through Alexandria Technical College and had her nursing license reactivated as there was a nurse shortage and thought she may need to go back to work for a bit to help the profession.

Joan married, Myron “Mickey” Fezler on Oct. 20, 1958, in St. Paul Park, MN, after dating for 5 years so she could finish nursing schooling. They were married for 63 years. To this union, two children were born, Susan and Lisa. Together they raised their family in Alexandria. She enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, reading, trips to the casino, flea markets, cooking (and she was an amazing cook), and being with family and friends. She was a caretaker her entire life and together her and Mickey were care givers in their home and outside of their home to many elders or people in need.

She is survived by her daughters; Sue Nelson of Alexandria and Lisa (Eric) Berglin of Alexandria; grandchildren, Heather (Jason) Weber of Wahpeton, ND, Ryan (Christy) Nelson of Alexandria, Justin Nelson of Alexandria, and Michael Berglin of Alexandria; great grandchildren, Alexis Nelson of Alexandria, Christopher Weber of Wahpeton, ND, Colton Nelson of Alexandria, and Kylee Weber of Wahpeton, ND; great great granddaughter, Raelyn Anderson of Alexandria; brother Frank Trisko of Balsam Lake, Wisconsin/Cape Coral, FL; brothers-in-law, Gerald Fezler of Cedar Lake, IN and Richard Floding of Alexandria; and sister-in-law Jan Floding Jobe.

Proceeded in death by her husband, parents, brother William “Billy” Trisko, and bothers-in-law LeRoy Fezzler and Leonard “Swede” Floding.