Theresa Nellie Johannes

Theresa Nellie Johannes, known to her community in central Minnesota as a devoted church volunteer, a longtime school employee and the baker behind countless wedding cakes, died on October 9, 2026, at the age of 77. Her death was first reported through an obituary released by Miller-Carlin Funeral Home of Holdingford, Minnesota, and quickly circulated in local news coverage describing her as an "All Saints Church member and Red Hat lady".

Born on February 22, 1949, in Minneapolis to Raymond and Emily Becker, Theresa grew up to build her adult life in the small community of Holdingford. She married LeRoy Johannes on July 16, 1966, at Sacred Heart Church in Arban, after being introduced to him by his sister, who was Theresa's close friend. The couple shared decades together before LeRoy preceded her in death, and those who remembered her described the two as companions who traveled widely together, by car and by motorcycle, visiting family, friends and garage sales along the way.

Theresa spent 42 years working for the Holdingford School District, beginning as a paraprofessional and eventually becoming a computer technician, a role in which she was described as well known and well respected by staff and students alike. Outside of work, she was deeply embedded in the civic and religious life of her town. She served as a lector at the Church of All Saints and belonged to several community organizations, including Christian Mothers, the Pioneers Club and the Red Hat Ladies, a social group for older women. She was also a fixture of a long running weekly card group known affectionately as "the Six Pack" and a monthly card club.

Friends and family remembered Theresa as a woman who brought warmth and humor into every room she entered. She was known in particular for her baking, having made wedding cakes for couples across her community over many years, a skill that became part of her local legacy. She was also remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother who stayed closely involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren throughout her life.

Theresa passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family, according to her obituary. No cause of death has been made public. She was preceded in death by her husband LeRoy, her son Timothy, her parents, and several of her siblings. She is survived by her children Debra Kostreba, Keith, Sandra Ross, Lisa Rooney and Curt, her brother Peter Becker, sixteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. A visitation and funeral service at the Church of All Saints, St. Mary in Holdingford are scheduled to take place later this month, giving the community a chance to gather and remember her life.