Edna Jakobitz

Obituary

Cherished, be the memories of a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Blessed, be the ones with the privilege to spend a lifetime knowing her.

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, with family by her side, Edna (McWherter) Jakobitz, 88, of Buffalo Lake, transcended from this life to the next, into the loving arms of her Savior, and to family and friends gone before her. Heaven is richer for it, but her absence from earthly endeavors is sorely noted by those who loved her best.
Edna Ilene McWherter was born on May 14, 1936, to Donald and Mabel (Bird) McWherter of Marion, Ohio. She was the second of three children and the eldest daughter. Edna was baptized in and joined the Marion First Church of the Nazarene. She was a lifelong member of the Church of the Nazarene, from Marion to Buffalo Lake, Litchfield and finally, Willmar. She attended Marion public schools and later Olivet Nazarene College (now University) from 1954-1956 in Kankakee, Ill., where she met her future husband, Rolland Jakobitz, and other lifelong friends.

On April 6, 1957, Edna and Rolland wed at Marion First Church of the Nazarene and soon after made their home seven miles south of Buffalo Lake on the Jakobitz homestead on a gravel road known then as Rural Route 2. She was involved in the Buffalo Lake Church of the Nazarene and raised their two sons, Judson and Jeffrey, in the subsequent years, cheering them as they played football, basketball and ran track. Their family enjoyed summer days skiing on Gull Lake, north of Brainerd, and winter vacations traveling by train back to Ohio for holidays. While Rolland expanded the farm, Edna hosted lunches and dinners for bankers, insurance agents, farm equipment salesmen, local clergy and friends. She learned how to drive a tractor and could be found chopping cornstalks in the fall between delivering meals or running to town for parts. She and Rolland discovered another pastime they enjoyed together: riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. They joined a group of local riders and logged thousands of miles on the road in their full Harley gear.

She was known for quick wit, cosmopolitan style, gracious entertaining and long-standing support of missionary work. She served on the Minnesota District Nazarene World Mission Society Council and was its president for multiple terms and traveled internationally to experience mission work personally, visiting Jeffrey’s family on mission assignment in Guatemala. She and Rolland lived next door to Judson’s family and often hosted weekend sleepovers and after-school arts-and-crafts sessions. Long into their 60s and 70s, they took the entire family out in the boat to see whose skiing had improved from summer to summer. Edna was always the loudest cheerleader of the group for a successful ski run. She passed on principles of entertaining, Biblical values and a strong moral compass. She was known to remind family members, “You’re a Jakobitz – and you must remember what that name means.” On a softer note, she often offered counsel or a listening ear with an offer of, “Let’s split a Pepsi and talk about it.” She had a sweet tooth; she always drank flavored coffee, and baked cookies by the dozens. She celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and never missed anyone’s birthday. She enjoyed catching new additions to the family off-guard with slightly obscure rules of politesse and manners, which she taught to multiple generations and insisted upon observing. She read the Bible devotional, Come Ye Apart, with Rolland each morning for the duration of its circulation. She prayed for miracles big and small, and gave the Lord credit for both answers: the ones that met her expectations – or otherwise.

As a grandmother, she doted on six grandchildren and attended their piano and guitar recitals, track meets and basketball tournaments. She was never shy to ask for a private musical recital and took every opportunity to show off her grandchildren, of whom she was so proud.

In 2000, the Jakobitzes were recognized by the state of Minnesota as Century Farmers. She had been a part of the operation for 43 years by that time.

In 2001, she and Rolland moved to Willmar and into quasi-retirement. She continued to entertain and especially enjoyed hosting her Bible study group and getting to know her new neighbors over tea. She and Rolland continued to travel, spending winters in Florida, always stopping through either Ohio or Kansas City to visit family on the way. She loved to talk on the phone and to send greeting cards for any occasion. In 2021, she and Rolland moved back to Buffalo Lake to be closer to their family. Following successive hospitalizations and ongoing health issues, she and Rolland stayed with Judson and Karen for a period of convalescence this last winter. In March 2024, they returned to their home in Buffalo Lake, under the watchful care of family and hospice service. In recent months, Rolland and Edna enjoyed many final milestones, including their 67th wedding anniversary, her 88th birthday, both Mother’s and Father’s Day, Rolland’s birthday, Jeffrey’s and Melissa’s wedding anniversary and Judson’s birthday before she succumbed peacefully at home with her trademark dignity intact.

She is survived by her husband, Rolland, her brother, Earl McWherter of Delaware, Ohio, her sisters-in-law, Sharon Treece (Jim) of Fort Pierce, Fla., and Diane Jakobitz of Bellevue, Wash., her sons and daughters-in-law: Judson and Karen Jakobitz and Jeffrey and Melissa Jakobitz, all of Buffalo Lake; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Joshua Jakobitz of San Francisco, Janae Bell of Olathe, Kan., (Brody Bell, Tory and Elin), Katherine Siefkes of Sleepy Eye (Caleb Siefkes, Greta, Josiah, Annika, Elijah, Micah and Ellanor), William Jakobitz of Minneapolis (Anna Jakobitz, Judah), Olivia Jakobitz of Sleepy Eye, and Benjamin Jakobitz of Minneapolis (Alyssa Jakobitz, Jaxon and Jeremiah) and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Mabel McWherter; her parents-in-law, Harley and Florence Jakobitz; her sister, Edith Kelly; her brothers-in-law, Don Farrar, Denton Jakobitz and Dave Kelly; and her sister-in-law, Kay McWherter.

The family is very grateful to caregivers from Olivia Hospital and Clinic for hospice care services.