Kathryn "Katie" Roselle Jahnke

Kathryn "Katie" Roselle (Thun) Jahnke of Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at St. Cloud Hospital at the age of 83. A visitation will be held from 4:00-6:30 PM, Friday, November 21, 2025, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, with a prayer service and time of sharing at 6:30 PM. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Zion Lutheran North Effington Church, in rural Parkers Prairie with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Zion Effington Cemetery immediately following the service, and then a lunch at Immanuel. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Kathryn “Katie” Roselle Thun was born to Clinton and Florence (Zuehlke) Thun on August 16, 1942, in the small Parkers Prairie Hospital. This date was according to the doctor, but her mother insisted on the 15th. Being born during the harvest, celebrating on whichever day was a challenge. Yet Florence was committed to the 15th. Katie grew up on the Thun Farm in Effington Township being the third generation. She went to country school on the land, which once belonged to the family farm.

Katie was adopted into God’s family on September 9, 1942, at Zion LCMS in North Effington, Township, MN. She publicly confessed her faith through the Rite of Confirmation on May 22, 1955, at Zion. Katie continued her membership at Zion during her lifetime.

After being confirmed, a young man would pick her up to go to Young People’s Group and Church Choir. Katie graduated from Parkers Prairie High School in 1960. Paying her own way, she left for the Humbolt Institute Airline Secretarial School in Minneapolis, MN. There Katie met her best friend, Janice Rabe. They graduated and were off to work at Pan Am Airlines in NY. On a home visit, Katie was noticed by the same young man at church. After church, he called Katie and asked if she’d go out with him. She said yes. After several dates, he asked why she said yes. She answered that she loved him. Katie and the young man, Harland Jahnke, were married April 28, 1962 at Zion by Rev. Beutow, and the reception was held at Immanuel Lutheran in Parkers Prairie.

The newlyweds moved into Zion’s parsonage as janitors for the church. While there, their family grew; Clark (1963), Kari (1964) and Jeffrey (1965) were born. Katie also played organ at Zion. Saturday nights were reserved for practice. When she got her own organ, the music filled the house and overflowed all the way to the barn. When their children were off to school, Katie started working for Gibsons in Alexandria, which became Pamida. She made lasting friends wherever she worked or visited. Katie had many jobs over the years including working at the New Café and Schmitty’s Bakery both in Parkers Prairie, served as Parkers Prairie Township Clerk, and finally at McDonald’s in North Alexandria. She ended up as the sub-organist at St. Paul’s Lutheran-West Miltona for over 40 years. She played her last Sunday there on November 2nd.

Katie and Harland lived in the parsonage for 10 years. Then they purchased the Brockopp Farm in 1972 on the condition they would fix the barn’s foundation. Katie’s father and father-in-law had their doubts about entering farming with such a debt. Katie and Harland were greatly blessed, enabling them to pay it off in 2 years, 2 months and two weeks. During that time, another son was born, Trevor (1974).

Katie and Harland were a team in the farming endeavor, coordinating their efforts for 28 years. Harland would always find a way to fix whatever needed fixing. Katie would insist on buying new, discouraging too much fixing. Eventually Katie won, and basically a new line of machinery was added to the farm. Katie and Harland farmed until 2000. Next, they built their current house on County Highway 6 on the land they bought from a family friend, Thomas “Tommy” Meyers.

Both drove for the Parkers Bus Co., which kept everything on time on the farm. While Harland was milking, Katie was busy feeding the cattle and hogs so they would be on the bus routes about 7:30 am. At 2:30 pm, they would drive again and were home for feeding, supper, and milking. Initially, Katie started subbing for Harland so whenever he was detained, she took his route. Eventually, Katie got her own route. She ran her last route on Thursday, November 6th.

Katie Jahnke passed from this life to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on November 11, 2025.

We are thankful for the care she received from the Parkers Prairie Ambulance Service on November 7th, the care at the Alomere Hospital in Alexandria, those who Airlifted her to Centra Care Hospital in St. Cloud, and the ICU nurses, and Comfort Care.

She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings Lois, Thomas, Charles, and Rebecca, and great-grandson, Micah Jax Jahnke.

She is survived by her husband, her children: Clark (Susan)-West Fargo, ND, Kari (Mike) McDaniel-Parkers Prairie, MN, Jeffrey (Mara) Jahnke-Sauk Rapids, MN, and Trevor (Claire) Jahnke-Maple Grove, MN.

Grandchildren: Philip (Amanda) Jahnke-Kingsville, MD, Dr. Nathan (Faith) Jahnke-Batavia, IL, Rev. Jonathan (Danielle) Jahnke-Alexandria, MN, Matthew Jahnke-Lincoln, NE, Andrew (Sammie) McDaniel-Parkers Prairie, MN, Jessica (Ryan) Peppersack-Parkers Prairie, MN, Hunter (Kathryn)-Miltona, MN, Thomas “TJ” (Clare) Jahnke and Corey (Tammy) Jahnke-Sauk Rapids, MN, Zachary “Zach” Helmer-Jahnke and Alexandra “Lexi” Helmer-Jahnke, both of Maple Grove, MN.

Great-grandchildren: Reuben and Penelope “Poppy,” Caleb and Laurel, Everlee and Judah Jahnke; Natalee McDaniel, Hudson McDaniel, Emma Peppersack; Noah Philippi-Patino, Waylon and Kyler Jahnke.

Brother: Richard “Rick” Thun-Colorado Springs, CO.

Visitation is at Immanuel, Parkers Prairie, MN 4pm-6:30pm. Time of Sharing and Prayer Service after.

Funeral at Zion Lutheran Church-North Effington, Rural Parkers Prairie, MN, at 11am with Burial after, and lunch at Immanuel-Parkers Prairie, MN.