JoAnn Tordoff

JoAnn Tordoff, age 81, passed away June 5, 2024. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Tuesday, June 11 at First Lutheran Church in Glenville. Pastor Eileen Woyen will be officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at the church. Burial will be at Winnebago Lutheran Church Cemetery.

JoAnn Genevieve (Holtan) Tordoff was born on April 8, 1943, in Forest City, Iowa.  JoAnn passed away peacefully on June 5th, 2024 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  JoAnn was the second daughter of Joel and Genevieve (Monson) Holtan.  She attended country school, Leland Middle School and graduated from Forest City High School.

On July 20, 1963, she married Russel Tordoff at Winnebago Lutheran Church, rural Lake Mills, Iowa.   They resided in Lake Mills until 1969 when they moved to Glenville, Minnesota to raise their family.

JoAnn was an active member of the Neighborhood Charity Club, and First Lutheran Church, Glenville, Minnesota.   She also was actively engaged in operating Countryside Antiques with Russ.

Hobbies included baking, singing, and watching her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews participate in sporting or music events.  JoAnn and her husband held an annual Halloween party, a fan favorite for several generations.   She will forever be remembered for her cookies, bars, lefse and her love of family gatherings.

Survivors include her husband, Russel; daughter Laura (Tordoff) Behnken and husband Brian Behnken of Mequon, Wisconsin; son Paul Tordoff and wife Karen (Eskola) Tordoff of Waconia, Minnesota.  Four grandchildren; Rachel (Behnken) Rejniak and husband Ben Rejniak of Grafton, Wisconsin, Hannah Behnken of Denver, Colorado, Grace Tordoff of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and Elias Tordoff of Waconia and one great-grandson, Evan Brian Rejniak.  Siblings Noel Holtan and wife Joyce (Colby) Holtan of Forest City, Marlys (Holtan) Andersen and husband Dean Andersen of Rake, Iowa, Carole (Holtan) Kettwick and husband Mike Kettwick of Buffalo Center, Iowa, and Valere Holtan and wife Sandy (Hum) Holtan of Forest City, Iowa, sister-in-law, Joan Holland of Rosemount, Minnesota and many nieces, nephews, and friends.   

The family wants to thank her special friend and caretaker, Linda Bighley of Glenville, Minnesota, for her many years of companionship and love.  Additionally, the family wants to thank the many doctors, nurses, EMTs and healthcare professionals who helped JoAnn and her family during her last days.

Her parents Joel and Genevieve Holtan (2002) preceded her in death, along with her sister Alice (Holtan) Holland (1992), brother-in-law Randall Holland (2014), in-laws Russel Tordoff (1994), Evelyn (Caboth) Tordoff (2020), sister-in-law Sharon (Tordoff) Schwartz Hegel (2015), nephew Tyler Kettwick (1984) and great-nephew Sam Holland (2011).

In lieu of flowers the family is asking for donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or First Lutheran Church in Glenville, MN.