JoAnn C. Fiechtner

JoAnn Carolyn Fiechtner, 90, of Moorhead, MN, went to be with Jesus on January 1, 2025, following an acute illness.

 JoAnn was born in Ada, MN, on May 23, 1934, to Clarence and Carrie Herringer. The Herringer family moved to Moorhead in 1942. After graduating from Moorhead High School in 1952, JoAnn attended Minnesota State University Moorhead for two years. In November 1954, JoAnn and Elmer Fiechtner were united in marriage at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. They subsequently made their home in Moorhead. Their union was blessed with two daughters, Diane and Kari. After the age of 50, JoAnn founded a professional cleaning and lawn service, Doctor Cleaners, which she and Elmer owned and operated from 1985 through 2003.

 JoAnn cherished her family and found reasons to celebrate not only special occasions, but also ordinary ones, with her loved ones. She enjoyed decorating for holidays and had a knack for finding the perfect birthday cake for her grandchildren or selecting the most festive napkins to go with the “little lunch” she would serve whenever she had visitors. 

 She had a passion for drawing and would sketch joyous scenes of home and family even after her 90th birthday. Her drawings frequently featured her great grandchildren, in whom she delighted. She also had a special fondness for her cat Sami, a loyal companion until JoAnn’s passing.

 In 2015, JoAnn was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which she bravely battled for nearly a decade. Even in illness, she maintained steadfast optimism and a good sense of humor. She never complained but instead expressed thanks for the medical professionals who cared for her and the treatments she received.

 JoAnn was endlessly thoughtful and generous. She was always ready to offer an encouraging word and possessed a singular way of making each person who crossed her path feel loved and appreciated. Her legacy lives on in the profound impact she has had on her family, friends, and neighbors.

 JoAnn’s greatest desire was that everyone she met would know how much God loved them. She often closed conversations by saying, “Always remember: Jesus loves you and so do I.” In word and in action, she lived her life according to love, which she bestowed unconditionally and without hesitation on others. While she carries on celebrating in heaven (no doubt with a beautiful cake and brightly colored napkins), JoAnn will be keenly missed by her family and friends here on earth.

 JoAnn is survived by her daughters, Diane Gorden (Jeff) and Kari Erickson (Terry); granddaughters, Vanessa Gorden (Dan Rezac), Crystal Farrington (Chase), and Nicole Mord (David); great grandchildren, Eva and Ellis Farrington and Dylan, Coleton, and Michael Mord; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Fiechtner; parents, Clarence and Carrie Herringer; sister, Elmyra Jacobson; and brother, David Herringer.

 A Celebration of Life is planned for Friday, April 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service in Moorhead.