Jean Doris Winans

Jean Winans peacefully passed into eternity on December 23, 2020, at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids, MN. Jean was born June 24, 1932, in Frazee, MN where she grew up on a beef and dairy farm. She was the oldest of two girls born to John & Minnie (Nygren) Schwanz. Jean attended school in Frazee, and after graduation, she moved to Minneapolis to attend the College of Medical Technology. After graduation, she worked as a medical secretary at Glen Lake Sanitorium. In 1953 she married Russell Winans at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Princeton, MN. In 1960, after seven years of living in Circle Pines, Jean and Russ settled in rural Isanti, MN, and raised three children. In 1965, with the help of Jean’s father, they built their own home and tore down the old one. Jean began part-time employment at Memorial Hospital’s Medical Records Department in 1966. At that time there were only two people in the department. Jean was so proficient at typing, she was given the nickname “Jean, Jean the Typing Machine”. She loved farming, gardening, canning and freezing, and most of all spending time with her family. They maintained a small herd of cattle and Jean spent many hours in the barn milking by hand. Jean was famous for her amazing gardens which provided abundant produce for both her family and farmers' markets. In 1983, Russ and Jean moved to Michigan where she continued her medical records career working in the offices of two medical clinics. After retirement in 1999, Jean and Russ built a home on Brush Lake in rural Park Rapids on land they had owned since 1976. They had many cherished friends in the Park Rapids area that made their retirement years very fulfilling. They adored animals and gave a loving home to many lucky dogs and cats over the years. Nothing gave Jean more pleasure than watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren enjoying time at the lake. In 2018, Russ and Jean moved into the Heritage Community in Park Rapids where she resided until her death. She was preceded in death by Russ on June 2, 2020, and also by her grandson, Michael. She will be remembered lovingly by her children; Colleen, David, and Barb, her grandchildren; Nick, Andrea, Eric, Seri, Emily, and Matthew, and her great-grandchildren; Preston, Landon, Harper, and Lucy. The family will hold a private service to celebrate Jean’s life at a later date, due to Covid 19.