Lucille Pettijohn

Lu Pettijohn, 104, Grand Marais, died Tuesday April 3, 2018 at North Shore Health.

She was born July 13, 1913 to John and Estelle (Willing) Kasner in Foley, Minnesota.  She grew up in Foley, Hibbing, and St. Cloud, graduating from Cathedral High School in St. Cloud.  She entered St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1931 and graduated in 1934. She served as a US Army nurse from April ’41 to August ’46, starting at Fort Leonard Wood in the Army, then later in the Air Corps and Troup Carrier, covering seven bases.  After her discharge, she worked in Minneapolis, then in Kansas City for TWA.  Following that, she worked at the V.A. Hospital in St. Cloud for 17 years, until her resignation in 1965 as Acting Chief Nurse.

Lu married Carl Pettijohn on April 23, 1965.  They lived in Phoenix, and later lived in St. Cloud, and San Antonio, Texas.  Lu and Carl moved to Grand Marais in 1986.  She was an active member at St. John’s Catholic Church and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She also volunteered at the Johnson Heritage Post for many years.  She enjoyed golf, knitting, latch-hooking, and volunteering in church functions.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; brother Edward Kasner; and sister, Marguerite Hewitt.

Lu is survived by sisters, Dorothy (Warren) Chamberlain of Faribault, MN and Mary Ellen Dietman of St. Cloud; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 10 AM until the 11 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at St. John’s Catholic Church, Grand Marais.  Burial will be at St. John’s Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to St. John’s Catholic Church.