Shakopee – Jan Galland of Shakopee, loving wife of the Reverend Les Galland suddenly died on Sunday, January 14, 2018.
Funeral services were held on the campus of the Association of Free Lutheran Bible School on Saturday, January 20, 2018.
Janet Ann Erickson was born January 25, 1936 on the family farmstead in rural New York Mills to Oscar and Mayme Erickson. She was saved at a tent meeting revival and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.
Growing up, young Janet enjoyed playing with the various farm animals, especially dogs, and displayed her future prowess as a teacher by giving lessons to her younger siblings. Her love of learning would be with her for her entire life.
When Jan completed high school she eagerly enrolled in a one year teaching licensing program that launched her six decade long career as an educator, both in public and Christian education. She deeply believed in the benefits of Christian education.
In the fall of 1955, 19-year-old Jan taught lessons in a rural one room country schoolhouse. She enjoyed several more years of teaching before completing her bachelor of science degree in education from Bemidji State University in Bemidji. She would later further her education by taking graduate courses in special education at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
While at Bemidji State, Jan met Les in an American history class. It has often been said they learned more about each other’s history, and well, American history not so much. They would file by the Minnesota Vikings summer practice field and enjoy noon lunch for $1 each at the local café.
Les and Jan married on November 25, 1959 on a snowy Thanksgiving eve night at St Peters Lutheran in New York Mills. They both were employed as teachers, but they knew the Lord had been tugging on their hearts to enter the ministry.
Jan spotted a short write up on the newly formed AFLC about 40 Lutheran congregations that had withheld from the Lutheran Free/American Lutheran church merger. Les enrolled in the newly formed AFLC seminary on the shores of Medicine Lake.
They enjoyed Les’ seminary years and Jan kept busy, especially on weekends as Les would travel to rural North Dakota by train–teaching confirmation, visitation and Sunday services—returning late Sunday or early Monday mornings.
Jan was a tremendous help to Les as a pastor’s wife. Together, Pastor Les and Jan served congregations in both Minnesota and Washington state, including Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.
Jan enjoyed her role as a pastor’s wife and relished open houses to invite church congregants, teaching Sunday school, playing the organ or discipling other women in the congregation.
Jan enjoyed being a part of the national ladies group for the AFLC, the Women’s Missionary Federation, and served as national vice president and wrote and taught women’s devotionals.
While Jan was an educator and busy pastor’s wife, she was a very warm homemaker. She loved to bake, read and enjoyed camping in the great outdoors.
Jan even served the local Republican party as a delegate to precinct and county level caucuses. She committed her entire life to Jesus Christ and was used mightily in His service. Her life verse was Psalm 116:1-2 which tells us “I love the Lord because He has heard my voice and supplication; because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call unto Him as long as I live.” She lived (and loved) those verses.
Jan is survived by her cherished husband, the Reverend Les Galland; she loved their three children—Janeen of Shakopee, James (Cindy Saas) of Hastings and Jon (Sherry Goebelt) of Medina, OH. Jan adored their three grandchildren—Hollyce Renae, Keziyah Lee and Leif Jefferson. She has three siblings—Chester (late Irene), Harold (Bethel) and Judith (Rev Daniel) and many cousins and a host of friends.
Jan was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son Kevin and many aunts, uncles and cousins. May her loving memory be richly blessed and used by her Savior!
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