Jill Blazek

jill blazek

Jill’s service will be livestreamed at 7 PM on Wednesday, July 6th

Karen “Jill” Blazek, 80, passed away on June 30, 2022, in her home surrounded by her loving family after a long, hard-fought battle with dementia.

Jill was born on June 7, 1942, in Devils Lake, North Dakota to Marge and Forest Stephens. The family moved often during Jill’s childhood but eventually settled in Mandan, North Dakota where she graduated high school in 1960. She went on to attend Mayville State Teachers College. In 1962, she was united in marriage to John Blazek. They started their life together as a married couple, stationed at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. After John’s time in the military, they moved back to his hometown of New York City with their infant daughter Lori. In 1968, with the addition of Steve to the family, they moved to Fargo, North Dakota. While Jill and John were raising two young children, she attended and graduated from Interstate Business College in Fargo. Jill worked as an administrative assistant for a law firm in downtown Fargo. She then found her true calling at NDSU as an administrative assistant in the colleges of Psychology, Sociology and Criminal Justice, and Business and Economics. After 33 years at NDSU, she graduated to a lifestyle of leisure where every day was Saturday. Jill enjoyed all types of crafting, especially knitting, needlepoint, and cross-stitch. She was an avid reader and was addicted to the Hallmark Channel. Attending her grandchildren’s activities brought Jill great joy (and a hoarse throat from all the cheering). One look into Jill’s home would tell you that Mickey Mouse was one of her obsessions. She even had a dog named Mickey. Jill was a member of El Zagal Children’s Hospital Auxiliary. After retirement, she spent much of her time volunteering, earning a Veterans Administration Hospital award for over 1,000 hours of service. She greeted every veteran at the VA with a hot cup of coffee, a glass of juice, and a warm smile.

Jill will be remembered by her husband John; her daughter Lori (Pete) Erickson; her son Steve (Gay Marie) Blazek; her grandchildren: Mykel, Andy, Ashley, and Cameron; her sister Susan (Dave) Bontrager; as well as many other family members and friends. Also surviving Jill is her four-legged furry family: Gizmo and Snoopy.

Jill was preceded in death by her parents: Forest and Marge Stephens.

A visitation will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, with a Celebration of Life service to follow at 7:00 p.m. at Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo, ND. Burial will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, 2022, at Fargo National Cemetery, rural Harwood, ND.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley: 1701 38th St. S. STE 101, Fargo, ND 58103-4499, and El Zagal Shrine Ladies Hospital Auxiliary: 1429 3rd St. N., Fargo, ND 58102.

Services

Visitation: July 6, 2022 6:00 pm

Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street
Fargo, North Dakota 58103

7012376441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com

Celebration of Life: July 6, 2022 7:00 pm

Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street
Fargo, North Dakota 58103

7012376441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com

Burial: July 7, 2022 1:00 pm

Fargo National Cemetery
8709 40th Ave N Fargo
ND,


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Guestbook

  1. Steve and family, May your memories of a good life with Jill soften the sadness.
    With care, ~Tony and Dawn

  2. Jill was always such a delight to visit with. Everyone was a friend of Jill’s even if they were meeting for the first time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you John and your family. Know Jill is in heaven becoming reacquainted with friends who had gone before and preparing for those yet to come home. God bless you all.

  3. Dear John and family,
    We are all praying for you on this great loss of your wife, Mom and Grandma. With all our sympathy and love,
    Ellen, Stephen, Jr., Erick, Nicole, Anna, Andrew and Alessia Varga

  4. Jill shared so much kindness throughout her days on earth. She’s well prepared for life in heaven. John, Steve, Lori and family you have our heartfelt sympathy. What a blessing to have known her. Sincerely – Randy and Robyn Wimmer

  5. John and Family, Sorry for your loss. My thoughts and Prayers are with you all. Was always fun running into Jill at NDSU. Always a smile & laughing about something.🙏💞💞🙏 Sincerely, Renee Kapaun

  6. Dear John and Family,
    We will miss the discussions and laughs over the backyard fence and the neighborhood Wed night dinners out with Jill. We will most remember Jill’s great sense of humor and easy laugh. Being a part of North Fargo for the past ten years and next-door neighbors to John and Jill is a blessing. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all and the peace of the Lord be with you.

    Larry and Dixie Schulz

  7. John and family. My deepest sympathies on the loss of Jill , prayers for your family Frances Jenner

  8. I met Jill while doing adjunct work in sociology at NDSU. She was very professional at her job and had a wonderful sense of humor. What a nice, nice lady she was.
    Don Dumais

  9. John & Family,
    We are so saddened by the news of Jill’s passing. We will always remember her as a kind and feisty neighbor. I recall vividly when she had Tyler mow your yard one summer. I told her that she did not have to pay him to do it because that’s just what neighbors do. She looked me in the eyes and said that they already had an arrangement and that was that. She was bold and beautiful person and will be deeply missed by many ❤️

  10. John, please know that my thoughts are with you and your family now that Jill is no longer physically with you. She lived a long and full life and will be missed by all who knew her. I fondly remember how she treated all those with whom she worked at NDSU, especially my husband, John. With love and peace always.

  11. John, Steve, Lori and families. I am so sorry for your loss. Jill was a fun coworker and had a great laugh. I will always remember her fondly. May she rest in peace and may you find peace.

  12. My heartfelt sympathy to you all, I will always remember great conversations and laughs with Jill at work. She was such a genuine person with a great sense of humor, and I always smile when I think of her.

  13. John & family,
    Our very deepest sympathy to all of you. We will always remember Jill with a smile!

  14. Love the picture you posted of Jill … I can just see her with that facial expression explaining to everyone in the psychology department “how to do it right”. 🙂 We know that your memories of her will comfort you in this time and we extend our sympathies to all of you.
    Kevin and Harriette

  15. Our deepest condolences to you John, Steve, Gay, Ashley, Cam, Lori & Family. We have fond memories visiting with your Nana at numerous sporting, musical & academic events at FNH. May her memory be a blessing to each of you.

  16. John and family – We are so sorry to learn of Jill’s passing on. We have such fond memories of our time with her and with you, and we think of you often. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.
    Bob and Roe Klepac

  17. On behalf of the Helgeson family and your neighbor many years ago, our condolences and prayers. The 2nd St families may get smaller, but never forgotten.

  18. Dear John and Family, I am sorry to hear of Jill’s passing. Just a voice from your past letting you know I was thinking of you and did a search. A lot of fond memories from my time in Fargo. My condolences.


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