Janet "Jan" Ann Brixius

Janet Ann Brixius, 85-year-old resident of Pierz MN, formerly of Lastrup MN, passed away at St. Cloud hospital surrounded by her family on Thursday, January 15, 2026. 

Jan died as a result of injuries from a car/pedestrian accident occurring in Pierz on January 13. Jan’s strength, courage, and resilience was evident from the time of the accident until her death. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. through 4 p.m. at Frosty’s in Pierz, MN. Lunch will be served. A private family service will be held at a later date. Janet Ann Gross was born on April 12, 1940, in Lastrup, MN to the late Roman and Amelia (Gallek) Gross. The family moved from Lastrup to Portland, Oregon where they lived for about two years during WWII, with Jan’s parents helping in the war effort. There she attended Kindergarten. Jan fondly recalled stories of those days and always felt a connection to the Pacific Northwest. Post-war the family returned to Lastrup, where Jan attended grade school and then Father Pierz Memorial High School where she was active in Cheerleading and Girls’ Athletic Association. She would occasionally recollect cheers during her grandchildren’s sporting events. Highschool yearbook comments indicate that she was successful in matchmaking even as a teenager, a gift she used throughout her life, with numerous “matches” resulting in long marriages. Upon completion of high school, Jan attended and graduated from St. Cloud Beauty School. During that time, she rented an apartment on the east side and walked over a mile each way, daily across the bridge to get to school, which is when she, perhaps, became as tough as a Minnesota winter. 

Jan was united in marriage to Roderick (Rod) Brixius on July 11, 1959, at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Lastrup, MN, with attendants Ron Gross and Esther Brixius and Father Kampsen officiating. The two 19-year-olds, who dated already in high school, began their marriage which lasted 66 years. The couple celebrated several anniversaries with parties at their daughters’ homes, one with a live bluegrass band, as Jan was a bluegrass music fan. Rod and Jan’s deep love for one another is evident to all who knew them.

Jan and Rod moved for a short time to Anoka, MN where Rod began his career at the Anoka State Hospital. While there they rented an apartment in what was originally the Kline Sanitorium. The building is still one of Anoka’s most iconic historical buildings, something that Jan would later find fascinating. Soon after the couple moved to Lastrup, MN when Rod secured a job at the Brainerd State Hospital. This allowed them to be close to Jan’s parents who farmed in Harding, just six miles away. In 1960, daughter Pam was born, with Brenda, a second daughter arriving in 1963. Jan was a homemaker until after her girls began school. She then started her career at the Brainerd State Hospital, retiring at age 60. At the state hospital, she worked for ten years as a beautician, cutting and styling hair for the hundreds of residents there at that time. She would travel from building to building, making sure the clients she loved and respected dearly looked good. 

Other jobs Jan had at the state hospital included working in the adult day rehabilitation program where she trained residents to package bait and tackle for In-Fisherman and other companies. Her role found her learning to drive a forklift, and once, encountering hundreds of glow-in-the dark snakes which were in a shipment received from another country. Jan also took on the role of Art Teacher, planning and teaching many art and craft projects. While working for the State, Jan met many lifelong friends. Never one to sit around, Jan would often use her lunch time to walk over three miles with her friend Judy Z. For the full length of their careers, Rod and Jan would commute to work together, each day talking, planning, and being together during the one-hour round-way trip – no cell phones or other distractions. 

Jan was always close to her parents, learning about cooking, harvesting wild mushrooms, making kraut, etc. Jan and Rod always made sure her parents, Mae and Roman, spent ample time with Pam and Brenda so they could have a close relationship, something important to Jan then as well as with her own grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jan’s kindness and tenderness came from Mae, and her gift of talking to strangers and getting to know people, as well as to spin a story for the grands, likely came from Roman. (Sometimes those stories would include the word “butt” or “poop” just to get an extra laugh.) Jan, along with Rod, loved taking her parents on car trips and out to eat, often making trips to Herberger’s in Brainerd where Jan would treat her mom to a new blouse. When her elderly parents needed help with day-to-day tasks, medical appointments, and paperwork, Jan lovingly stepped in to be there. Jan was of great comfort to her parents until their passing. 

After retiring from the state hospital, Jan helped with taking care of grandchildren and later great-grandchildren. Through her singing, silliness, stories, and gentle way, she had a knack of making kids belly laugh, feel safe, and feel loved. Often, she would offer a quarter or dime for each cow that one of the grands would see on a car trip. A deer was worth even more, and a bear more yet. The little grands would sometimes “spot” five bears that no one else saw. It really didn’t matter, because in the end, Grammy Jan would generously dole out an equal amount to every child in the car. Jan had a way of making each individual grandchild and great-grandchild feel special in one way or another, and she truly felt an individual and unique connection to each of them. She was looking forward to the birth of great-grandson Ambrose (born three days after her passing) and her first great-great granddaughter, due to arrive in June (great-grandson Alex’s baby). 

Jan loved to give, especially at Christmas. In the “other wishes” portion of her Advanced Care Directive, she stated: “Remember the good Christmases and look at pictures of the happy times.” Although she was a gift-giver throughout the year, Christmas was when she really had fun shopping for others. One special recent gift was a hand-made mandolin that she had a luthier friend make for a grandchild. This past Christmas was joyful as always and family will forever treasure the memories.

She was generous to others and often gifted winter jackets to those she thought might need them. When Jan received a gift card, she typically used it to buy a gift for someone else, and that is what made her most happy.

It was typical for Jan to buy a gift for one person but give it to someone else. For instance, she had recently purchased some items for the next great-grandbaby due. However, when her great- grandson Alex informed Jan and Rod that he would be having a baby, she gave the goods to Alex for his baby. That was not unusual, as she received so much delight from seeing people happy. 

Within two years of her retirement, at age 62, she began working at Red’s Auto, which is owned by Pam and Red Sitzman (daughter and son-in-law). Although not in an official capacity for the last few years, she worked there until her passing, cooking up “specials” and the world’s best wild-rice soup. She was an unofficial store host, often sitting and talking with known patrons and sometimes making brand new friends. 

Jan could not stand to see anyone be troubled, so she would occasionally go up to a stranger and say something to find out if they needed help. She found people – from all walks of life – interesting, so she often found herself sitting with total strangers and letting them tell her about their lives, families, and occupations.

Jan loved music. She shared a birthday with Loretta Lynn, admired and loved Dolly Parton and Ricky Scaggs. Her taste in music ranged from classic country, polka and 50’s music to singer Daniel O’Donnell. She enjoyed seeing live performances and made numerous memorable trips to Branson, Missouri to take in shows. 

Eleven years ago, Rod had a spinal stroke which caused paralysis. For 45 days without going home, Jan sat by his side in the hospital then Courage-Kenny Rehabilitation Institute until he was able to be discharged to a rehab facility close to home. Jan learned everything needed to care for Rod, now a paraplegic. Doctors said that with good care Rod could expect to live two, maybe up to four, years. It was Jan’s care and love that allowed them to have so many more years as a married couple. Not once in eleven years did Jan complain about the unexpected change to their lives or her new role as caregiver. The circumstances reinforced their love and was an example to their family and others of what love is.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

Left to cherish her memory is husband Rod; daughter Pam and son-in-law Red Sitzman; daughter Brenda and son-in-law Frank Weber; grandchildren: Kelly Sitzman, Amber (Sitzman) Axtell and husband Nick; Nicolette (Weber) Deal and husband Branden; Shane Weber and wife Rachael; Preston Weber and wife Olivia; great-grandchildren: Alex, Chase, Emma, Addy, Kaycee, Andrea, Avery, Arya, Violet, Roran, and Ambrose; sister-in-law Joanne Gross; special niece Jill Kurtz-Libby; and special cousin Candy. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Roman and Amelia; brother Ronnie Gross; sister and brother-in-law, Romelle and John Kurtz. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials which will be used to honor Jan’s legacy through donations of toys and children’s coats to local area drives. 

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Jan.