Joan Behsman

Joan A. Behsman, age 75 of Grey Eagle, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family after a tough battle with cancer on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at the Tree of Life Assisted Living in New Munich, Minnesota.

A gathering of friends and family will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, October 15 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Grey Eagle. A prayer service will begin at 5:30 p.m. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Swanville.

Joan Annette Davidson was born September 18, 1947 in Mankato, Minnesota to Marvin and Ellna (Schulz) Davidson. She was baptized on November 2, 1947 in Good Thunder, Minnesota. She attended school at Waldorf Elementary and graduated from Waldorf High School in 1965. She continued her education at Mankato Beauty School while working at the Truck Stop in Mankato. In January of 1967, she met John Behsman. They were united in marriage on June 22, 1968, at First Lutheran Church in Waldorf. From this union, three children were born. The couple moved to Swanville in 1971 to milk cows on her dad’s farm. Joan opened her beauty shop in 1976 in Swanville. After this they moved multiple times. Joan worked a variety of jobs from pig farmer to cashier to milking cows to factor worker. During that time, Joan and John ended up in Arizona for nine months then moved back to the same place they had left (kind of like a season of Dallas) she would joke.

Joan enjoyed fishing, gardening, baking, and spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include her husband, John Behsman of Grey Eagle; children, Lori Dittrich of Courtland, Kurt (Cindy) Behsman of Randall, and Lisa (Jason) Wehking of Eagle Bend; grandchildren, Tyler and Nikki Dittrich, Brandon and Gregory Behsman, and Erin and Jared Wehking; sisters, Rona (Mark) Bleess of Long Prairie, Shirley Davidson of Alexandria, Ingrid Olson of Stephen, Ardis Davidson of Holdingford, and Bev (Gene) Warzecha of Harvey, North Dakota.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin Davidson on February 1, 1974 and Ellna Davidson on October 10, 1955; step parents; brother, Richard Davidson; and one infant brother.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Jude’s Children Hospital.