Linda Cecelia Jokela

Mass of Christian Burial for Linda Jokela, age 67, of Foreston, will be held Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 10:30 AM at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston with Fr. Derek Wiechmann officiating.  Interment will follow at St. Louis Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4 - 7 PM Friday at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca with a rosary service at 6:30 PM.  Visitation will continue 1 hour prior the service at the church on Saturday.

Linda Cecelia (Van Heel) Jokela was born March 11, 1952 to Jerome and Rosalia (Feldeverd) Van Heel in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.  She graduated from Milaca High School in 1970.  During her school years, she was involved with the Girls Athletic Association, Future Homemakers of America, Choir, Milachi Staff, and in the first musical to be produced by the Milaca High School.

Linda continued her education earning her certificate as a Psychiatric Technician in 1972.  In 1975, she earned her certificate as a Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide.  After working many years in the nursing field, Linda went on to operate a daycare in her home in Cloquet.  Many children came through her daycare starting with her as infants and leaving when they started elementary school.  She had so much love to share with each of those children.

On May 24, 1975, Linda married David Jokela, Sr. in Cloquet.  David loved to fish and it did not take long and Linda was hooked, too. She had her own boat and organized a Woman Anglers of Minnesota chapter for Cloquet and surrounding areas. Together, they also enjoyed snowmobiling and hunting.

It was while they were living in Cloquet that David got Linda her first Shar-pei.  It started with a puppy named Sou-pei in 1990. Linda and Sou-pei graduated fourth in a class of fourteen from the Twin Ports Dog Club in Duluth.  They were now ready for the show ring.  Linda continued to show many Shar-peis since then, both the Conformation and Obedience rings.  Many of her dogs became champions earning their titles.

With the passing of her husband in 1996, Linda relocated to her current home in Foreston, where she continued to raise and show Shar-peis, care for her parents, and work as a nanny until her diagnosis of kidney failure in 2015.

While much of her time now was filled with dialysis and doctor appointments, she spent happy hours canning many types of food, making various baked goods, and knitting socks that she sold at the Milaca Farmer’s Market for a number of years.

She passed away September 13, 2019 at her residence near Foreston.

Linda is survived by three sisters, Mildred Alfano of Dublin, OH, Patricia (Arthur, Jr.) Popp of Rice, and Jane (Scott) Ferber of Foreston; five brothers, Michael (Debbie) of Latah, WA, Gerard of Saint Paul, Bernard (Margie) of Echo, John (Myrlene) of Tallulah, LA, and Leo of Foreston; seven nieces, and eleven nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jerome and Rosalia Van Heel; husband, David Jokela, Sr., brother-in-law, Dr. Anthony Alfano, sister-in-law, Michelle Van Heel, infant niece, Emma Ferber, and infant nephews, Tristan and Walter Ferber.

Linda’s abundant love of family, friends, and generous spirit will be forever missed.