Janice Jeanette Huesman

Janice Jeanette Huesman, passed away peacefully on May 29, 2026, having recently celebrated her 80th birthday, following a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease and a brief battle with cancer.

Janice was born on May 18, 1946, in rural Nome, North Dakota, to James and Carla (Strand) Anderson. She spent her childhood in Nome and Enderlin, North Dakota, before moving to Moorhead, Minnesota, where she graduated from Moorhead High School in 1963.

On September 26, 1964, Janice married the love of her life, Ronald Lawrence Huesman Sr. Together they shared 62 years of marriage, building a life centered on faith, family, hard work, and love. Their journey together began at Lake Maud in 1963, where they first met. Years later, they transformed their beloved lake home into their permanent residence, where they spent their later years together and where Janice was able to remain through the end of her life.

Janice was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. Raising four boys was no small task, and Janice did it with equal measures of love, strength, and determination. She was fiercely protective of her family and never hesitated to let someone know when they had made a poor decision. Those lessons were delivered with love, but they were memorable enough that most of us only needed to learn them once.

A woman of strong faith, Janice was an active member of Lake Park Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday School and Bible Study, participated in Circle, and dedicated her time to serving her church community. She also served as a member of the Lake Park School Board, helping guide and support local education.

Janice dedicated 30 years of service to the United States Postal Service. She worked as a Postal Clerk in Lake Park and also served communities in Pelican Rapids and Frazee before later working in the mailroom in Fargo, North Dakota. Her work ethic and commitment to serving others were evident throughout her career.

One of her most remarkable talents was her memory. Long before Alzheimer's took hold, Janice could recite ZIP codes from memory for much of Minnesota and North Dakota. Family members often joked that she knew every ZIP code from the shores of Lake Superior to well beyond the Badlands. It was a skill she developed through her years with the Postal Service and one that never failed to impress those who knew her.

Outside of work, Janice enjoyed a wide variety of hobbies and interests. She was an avid reader, especially of mystery and crime novels, and loved crossword puzzles. She enjoyed pontoon rides on the lake, decorating her home, and restoring furniture, or perhaps more accurately, directing Ron on furniture restoration projects. Every room she designed reflected her creativity and appreciation for meaningful keepsakes.

Janice was also an exceptional cook and baker. She rarely needed a recipe card because most of her recipes were committed to memory. Family favorites included her famous potato salad, blond brownies, lefse, and dumpling soup. To this day, there remains spirited debate within the family regarding whether eggs belong in the dumpling recipe. For the record, according to her son Mark, they absolutely do.

One of Janice's lesser-known accomplishments was bowling a perfect all-spare game, an achievement she was quietly proud of. She also had a lifelong love of animals and welcomed many pets into her home over the years, including dogs, cats, birds, and hamsters. While she cared for them all, her beloved Scottish Terrier held a special place in her heart. The hamsters and birds, perhaps, not quite as much.

Janice was truly a force of nature. She was always ready to lend a hand when someone needed help and was immensely proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. Her strength, humor, wisdom, and unwavering devotion to her family will be remembered and cherished by all who knew her.

Janice is survived by her loving husband, Ronald Huesman Sr.; her brother, James Anderson; sisters, Shirley Wigen and Carol Anderson; and her four sons: Ronald (Sonya) Huesman Jr. of Mounds View, Minnesota; Brian (Liz) Huesman of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; Steve (Cindy) Huesman of Rochester, Minnesota; and Mark (Miranda) Huesman of Barnesville, Minnesota.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jacob (Meghan), Mikayla (Chad), Josh (Caitlin), Brianne (Eli), Kylie, Noah, Matthew, Hailey, Nathaniel, Nicholas, Andrew, and Ava; and great-grandson, Kieran.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Carla Anderson; brothers Eugene Anderson, Gerald Anderson, Dale Anderson, Donald Anderson, Ronald Anderson, and Richard Anderson; sisters Pearlene Vosburg and Sandra Swanson.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at David-Donehower Funeral Home in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Lake Park Lutheran Church in Lake Park, Minnesota. Luncheon and fellowship to follow immediately after the service.

A tribute from her sons: Mom was a passionate person who loved deeply and lived fully. She loved her family, her home on Lake Maud, and her many pets throughout the years. She had little patience for Alzheimer's disease and the challenges it brought, but she faced them with the same strength and determination that defined her entire life.

One of Mom's greatest wishes was to remain in the home she loved, surrounded by family and the memories she and Dad built together. Thanks to the compassionate care and support of HIA Hospice, that wish became a reality.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed to the Marshmallow Animal Shelter (Detroit Lakes), the Alzheimer's Association (MN/ND Chapter), or HIA Hospice in honor of Janice's life and the causes that were close to her heart.