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.