Hazel Lorraine Juntunen

**Use this link to view the service: https://youtu.be/lxItkOiTruA 

Hazel Lorraine Juntunen died peacefully at her home at Woodside Village on July 22, 2022, looking forward to reuniting with her cherished husband Alfred. She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her.

Hazel was born on August 6, 1934 to Alrik and Mina (Minnie) Johnson in Wolford, ND. She grew up on the family farm, the youngest of five siblings, and graduated from Wolford High School. In 1958, she married Alfred Juntunen. She worked at Theel’s Motors (Rolla) as a bookkeeper at that time, and then in 1960, she and Alfred settled on their farm outside of Perth, ND, where they lived until 1989.  Hazel was a gracious and hard-working farmer.  She always had coffee with homemade cookies ready for anyone who dropped by - no matter how busy she was, there was always time for a good visit.  She was an avid gardener, an active member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Rolla, and a dedicated member of the Homemakers Club (and later Craft Club) that included her closest friends in the community.  She was also the main combine operator every harvest season.   Hazel raised two children on the farm, and she loved being a mother.  She was very involved in school activities and proud of everything the kids did.  She opened her home to their friends and loved nothing more than a houseful of kids having fun.

Hazel and Alfred moved to Rolla in 1989, where Hazel began working at the Rolla Community Center Day Care. This was an incredibly rewarding career for Hazel, and she remembered every child she worked with during her many years of caring for the babies.  She treasured each one and was always delighted to hear from them, even years after they’d graduated from her care. She had many close friends in Rolla and was always happy to welcome company. Hazel and Alfred moved to Grand Forks in 2015, where she made new friends and enjoyed spending more time with her family. She saw her children and grandchildren as much as possible – there was no greater joy in her life than spending time with her grandchildren, and the hundreds of photos we have of them together show her light-hearted joy in their presence. Hazel loved funny stories, good music, and particularly loved to dance.  She maintained her good humor and her deep faith in God through to her final days.

Hazel was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Alfred; two infant daughters, Susan and Barbara; parents, Minnie and Alrik; and treasured siblings Elvera, Everett, and Anita.  She is survived by daughter Cindy (Kara Wettersten) of Grand Forks; son Dan (Denae) of Clearwater, MN;  grandchildren MeiLi Smith, Shai Smith, Allie Juntunen (Weston Morgan), and Nick Juntunen;  brother Ansel (Janice) Johnson of Rugby; and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be donated in Hazel’s name to the Sisu Endowment in the College of Education & Human Development at UND, via the UND Foundation.

The funeral will be Monday, August 1, at 3:30 pm, with visitation at 2:30, at Amundson Funeral Home.