Shelly Brandl

Rochelle (Shelly) Brandl died peacefully on November 6, 2024 after a fierce battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was a remarkable and brilliant woman with a strong moral compass who will be deeply missed. She was born February 16, 1939 in Virginia, Minnesota to Nicholas and Ann Sarich Jankovich. After graduating from Mountain Iron High School, she went on to earn a bachelor's degree from St. Catherine University, and Master's degree and PhD in Psychology from the University of Minnesota.
Shelly and John met on a blind date and were quickly engaged. John proposed the day before he left for graduate school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Shelly joined him shortly after and taught elementary school to support John through his graduate studies. She hand-typed John's dissertation for his PhD in Economics. When children Chris, Kate and Amy were born, Shelly gave up her teaching position to be a full-time mom. John's work took their young family to Boston, Washington DC and Madison. John and Shelly eventually decided they wanted to raise their children closer to family, and made their way back to Minnesota. Shelly stayed home with the children until they were all in school and she was able to start graduate school herself. At this point, she was working full time, in school full time and had 3 little children at home. She earned her PhD when her youngest child, Amy, was in 6th grade.
Shelly's personal and professional life were shaped by her compassion and her deeply felt desire to help others. During her 50-year career as a child psychologist, she held leadership positions at Children's Hospital, Fraser and North Psychology Clinic. She has also helped countless patients in her private practice, which she continued until shortly before her death. She was a life-long learner, renewing her psychology license at the age of 85. Most recently, her continuing education focused on trauma, a new interest of hers.
Shelly liked to be active. She enjoyed singing with the choir at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, puttering in her garden, cooking - especially French cuisine, and traveling. She had a busy social life and loved hosting gatherings at her home and at her cabin in Wisconsin. More than anything she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her much loved grandchildren, Jack and Clara.
Shelly was preceded in death by her husband, John, her parents Nick and Ann Jankovich and sister Judy Jankovich Varnell. She is survived by her children Chris (Liz Cloutier), Kate, and Amy (John Klassen), grandchildren Jack and Clara Klassen, brother Dave (Sue) Jankovich, brother-in-law Dave Varnell, numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, other extended family members and a host of cherished friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 30 at the Basilica of St. Mary at 11:00am with a visitation for one hour prior. A livestream of the Mass will be available at https://mary.org/
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to one of the following organizations: Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC.org), The Breast Cancer Research Fund at the University of Minnesota (makingagift.umn.edu).