Friends, family, and, in later years, caregivers, knew Dana F. Tellijohn for her unique sense of humor, feisty personality, and occasional sharp tongue. Those characteristics remained until her dying day, March 10, 2026, four days short of her 79th birthday.
Dana grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, graduating from St. Louis Park High School in 1965. She graduated from the University of Minnesota four years later with a degree in home economics.
Shortly thereafter, she met her future husband, Thomas Tellijohn, and they were married in 1970. After a brief stop in Austin, Minnesota, they moved to Le Sueur, Minnesota, where in 1973 they acquired one of the family businesses, Tellijohn Landfill Services, growing that and other companies throughout their lives.
In 2014, they moved to Eureka Township just north of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
Dana spent the last 19 years valiantly battling Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and other health issues before she passed. She received tremendous care from the staff at Willow Ridge Nursing Home and Adoray Home Health and Hospice during her final years.
She is survived by Tom, her husband of nearly 56 years; sons, Andrew (Sarah) and Tony (Molly); four grandchildren (Mari, Ty, Nora, Isaac); sister Betsy Larson; stepsiblings, Kathryn Nordby (Alan), Susan Marthaler, Greg, Gary (Alicia), and Leisa (Tom Hoover) Marthaler; in-laws, Judy (Dave) Peterson, Jan LaSell, Jackie Tellijohn, and Tim (Lori) Tellijohn; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by parents, Anne Marthaler and Richard French; stepfather, John Marthaler; in-laws Keith and Ruth (Snow) Tellijohn; brothers-in-law, Reuben Larson, Richard LaSell, and Baby Boy Tellijohn; and sisters-in-law, Jo Anne Jenson and Jenifer Tellijohn.
Memorials preferred to Adoray Home Health and Hospice, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Struthers Parkinson’s Center Network, or North Valley Lutheran Church in Centuria, Wisconsin.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the North Valley Lutheran Church in Centuria on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., and the service will begin at 11:30 a.m. Lunch to be served after the service.
A Celebration of Life at Caribou Gun Club in Le Sueur will be held on Saturday, April 25.
The Kolstad Family Funeral Home was entrusted with arrangements.
