JoAnn Ellen Toso

JoAnn Ellen (Gjevre) Toso of Starkweather, ND passed away at home on Monday, October 19th, 2020 at the age of 79.

JoAnn was born on August 9th, 1941 to Paul and Edna (Pederson) Gjevre at Starkweather, ND.

She met LeRoy Toso at the Devil’s Lake Roller Rink as a teenager and they married on June 17th, 1960. They welcomed sons LeRoy Jr. “Roy” in November of 1963, and Kevin in August of 1968.  In June of 2020, JoAnn and LeRoy celebrated 60 years of marriage.

She worked at St. Luke’s Clinic in Fargo, ND as a receptionist in the department of Internal Medicine for over 20 years and a part time associate at the Devils Lake Walmart in her retirement for nine years.

JoAnn devoured series after series of books, and spent her free time playing games, completing word puzzles, and keeping up with friends and family on Facebook. She always appreciated a smooth writing pen and took joy in beautifying her yard with lawn ornaments and flowers. She couldn’t pass up a good auction sale and always hunted the best thrift store bargains. JoAnn enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and felt so proud to be a great grandmother.

She is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Edna Gjevre, sister and brothers-in-law, Lois and Benny Spidahl and Roland Nygard; sister-in-law Nancy Gjevre and in-laws Clarence and Tillie Toso. 

She is survived by her husband LeRoy Sr., brother Gary Gjevre, Devils Lake ND, sister Judy Nygard, Helena MT, sons Roy of Warroad MN and Kevin of Starkweather, grandchildren Richard Toso, Nicholas (Heidi) Toso, and Megan Toso, and great-grandson Sutton Toso and many beloved nieces, nephews and their families. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 23, 2020 at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake ND from 4:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  The Funeral Service for JoAnn will be held at Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church, Starkweather on Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. with the Reverend Robert Buechler officiating.  Burial will be in the Trinity-Bergen Cemetery, rural Starkweather.