Jane Eileen Purkat

Mass of Christian burial for Jane Eileen Purkat, 90, of McKinley will be 10 am Friday, March 31, 2017, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gilbert with Fr. Michael Garry celebrating. A visitation will be held from 5-7 pm Thursday, with recitation of the rosary at 6:30pm by Gilbert Knights of Columbus #5031 at the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert and will continue one hour prior to mass at the church. Inurnment will be in the Gilbert Cemetery at a later date. Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers. Jane died Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at St. Raphael’s Health and Rehabilitation Center in Eveleth. She was born on March 22, 1927 to James and Myrtle (Bergeron) Spohn in Coon Rapids, MN. Jane grew up on the family farm in Coon Rapids and attended school at the Anoka High School, graduating from the class of 1946. Following school, Jane worked as a bookkeeper for FC Hayer Company. On January 12, 1952 she was united in marriage to Donald Purkat in Aurora. The couple made their home in McKinley where Jane served as the Village Treasurer for thirty years. She was also employed by Pepelnjak’s Bakery where she could be found behind the coffee counter. Jane enjoyed flower gardening, walking, taking aerobics classes at the Gilbert Community Center, collecting angel figurines, cooking, taking classic car rides, and took the greatest pleasure in holding a newborn baby. It was the love she had for her family and her deep devotion to them as well as her friends and faith that she will be mostly remembered. Survivors include her husband of sixty-five years: Donald; seven children: Daniel (Sheila) Purkat of New London, David Purkat of Gilbert, Jarad of McKinley, Dennis (Lisa) of Gilbert, and Michael Purkat of McKinley, JaNeen (Trice Okrzynski) Purkat of Minneapolis, and Joey Purkat of Gilbert; daughter-in-law, Patsy Purkat of Gilbert; ten grandchildren: Jennifer and Tina Purkat, Kimberly (Jason) Salisbury, Nicholas (Theresa) Purkat, Adam (Cheryl) Purkat, Daniel (Laura) Purkat, Laurie Kuoppala, Bryan Purkat, Jordan Purkat and Mary (Tom) Purkat; eight great-grandchildren; four sisters-in-law: Lois and Judy Spohn, Margie Walling, and Jean (Roy) Korsman; two special friends: Dottie Morton and Jo Heitzman; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by a son, Jan; five siblings; her parents; and five in-laws: Cyril Purkat, Vail Purkat, Rosemary (Dick) Prosen andTodd Walling; and numerous nieces and nephews. Jane’s family would like to thank the staff of St. Raphael’s for the wonderful care Jane received.