Obituary of Janice Keppers

Janice (Jan) Keppers, 88, was reunited with her loving husband in heaven on March 27, 2025.

Jan Keppers was born on November 7, 1936, to Albin and Clara Dahlen. She grew up in Duluth and graduated from Denfeld High School in 1954, where she met the love of her life, Ted Keppers. They fell madly in love and married on November 26, 1955, at St. James Catholic Church.

Jan was first and foremost a homemaker. She raised her five children in a small house in Riverside. Her house was always spotless and clean, and she never hesitated to host a party for family or friends in the neighborhood. Her favorite times were spent with her growing family of  5 children, 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and was always joking and laughing, enjoying life to the fullest.

She always made holidays special. At Christmas, she would have her grandchildren act out the nativity play as she guided them through, complete with costumes she had sewn. She would organize a foosball tournament, bake a birthday cake for Jesus, and even light real candles on the tree as she led the family singing Christmas carols. Easter included a puppet show she put on and small treats for each grandchild. During the summer, she organized races and games like gunny sack races, egg toss, and water balloon toss during family gatherings, always ensuring everyone received a medal and a tootsie pop at the end.

Every summer Jan would host a formal tea party for the ladies in the family.  Everyone wore hats, gloves and dresses. If you didn’t have a hat or gloves she supplied them for you!  She would serve sandwich loaf, finger sandwiches, cookies and bars. She would always have root beer tea for the kids. 

She loved to travel with her family and visited all 50 states and several countries in Europe.  Jan attended countless choir concerts, band concerts, soccer games, football games, swim meets, and anything her family was involved in. She took her camera everywhere and documented every moment in photo albums for each of her children and grandchildren.

Jan regularly attended Mass on Sundays at St. James Catholic Church, where she was a member of the St. Margaret Mary’s Guild. She organized church photo albums, made pasties, and supported the fall bazaars. She also taught Sunday School and sang in the church choir. Her faith in God was unshakable.

She was a talented seamstress and made all her daughters’ prom dresses complete with a matching handbag/purse.  She sewed matching clothes for her children, made outfits for Barbie dolls, and knitted mittens, hats, and scarves  every winter. Often, she donated her creations to local children in need.

Jan was active in her community, serving as a Cub Scout leader, a treasurer for the Riverside Community Center, and a playground monitor at Riverside School. She also worked at Glass Block but would often just hand over her check because she loved to shop. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Ted Keppers, her parents Albin and Clara, and her brother Albin Dahlen Jr. She is survived by her children: David (Jill) Keppers, Tina (Denny) Sauter, Susie (Rick) Borich, Tim (Renee) Keppers, and Linda (John) Puglisi, along with 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Jan’s family would like to thank the staff at the Benedictine Health Center for the care they provided her in her last four years.

There will be a memorial service on Thursday, July 10th at 11:00 am with a visitation one hour prior at the Cremation Society of MN, 4100 Grand Ave., Duluth, MN.