Juleen Esther Flaa

Juleen "Julie" Esther Wieland Flaa, 87, of Hutchinson passed away June 18 at Angels Heart AFH in Lynnwood, Washington. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 20, at Fort Snelling Memorial Chapel with interment at 11:30 a.m. in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Bloomington.

She was born on Oct. 14, 1934, in New Ulm, the daughter of Clarence and Orevilla "Honey" (Kassuelke) Wieland. Juleen was baptized as an infant at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, and was later confirmed in her faith as a youth at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Huron, South Dakota. She received her education in Comfrey, and graduated with the Comfrey High School Class of 1952. Juleen furthered her education at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she completed her nursing degree.

On July 7, 1957, Juleen was married to Donald Froemke in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Though Juleen and Donald eventually parted, the marriage was blessed with a child, Jennifer. As a single mother, Juleen worked as a head nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center while raising Jennifer in Minneapolis.

On June 22, 1968, Juleen was united in marriage to John Douglas "Doug" Flaa at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. With Doug’s adoption of Jennifer, this marriage was blessed with three children, Jennifer, John and Mark. Juleen and Doug resided in the Minneapolis area. They later moved to Hutchinson in 1975. Juleen and Doug shared 45 years of marriage.

Juleen was a dedicated wife working alongside Doug in the Coast-to-Coast hardware stores they owned in Crystal from 1968-1975 and Hutchinson from 1975-1982. She and Doug raised Jennifer, John and Mark in New Hope and Hutchinson, helping lead their school and church activities. She was a member of Riverside Church in Hutchinson, where she was active in the prayer ministry and evangelism. Juleen enjoyed taking walks and traveling with Doug, highlighted by trips to India, Brazil, Morocco, Mozambique, China and Israel. After Doug’s passing in 2014, Juleen moved to Arizona and Washington to be near her children and grandchildren.

Blessed be her memory.

Juleen is survived by her children, Jennifer L. Flaa of Sanibel, Florida, John A. Flaa and his wife, Amy of Seattle, Washington, Mark S. Flaa and his wife Jessica of Lake Oswego, Oregon; grandchildren, Jake, Alyssa, Abby, Teddy and Penny Flaa; sister, Sandy Garcia of Houston, Texas; sister-in-laws, Deloris Flaa of Plymouth, LaRae Flaa of Scottsdale, Arizona; many other relatives and friends.

Juleen is preceded in death by her husband Doug Flaa; parents, Clarence and Honey Wieland; sisters, Joyce Goetze and Lorraine Wright; brothers-in-law, Duane Flaa, Jim Flaa, Maynard Goetze, Bud Wright, Lou Garcia; granddaughter, Avery Flaa.