Stephen “Steve” Michael Jackelen ’65

Stephen “Steve” Michael Jackelen ’65

Stephen “Steve” Michael Jackelen died suddenly on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, at Sanford Hospital in Fargo. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 30 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 2508 Washington Ave. SE, Bemidji, Minnesota with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and the funeral service at 2:00 with Reverend Genelle Netland presiding.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen; two children, Anne-Marie (Paul) Nickel of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and Jeffrey (Shannon) Jackelen of Chanhassen, Minnesota; and four grandchildren, Richard and Grant Nickel and Dylan and Brianna Jackelen. He is also survived by his sister Carolyn (Vernon) Suchla; two brothers, George (Mary) Jackelen of Ormond Beach, Florida and Timothy (Joni) Jackelen of Ankeny, Iowa; sister-in-law Nancy (Terry) Hickman of Bend, Oregon; father-in-law Harold (Phyllis) Ugelstad; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and life-long friends.

Steve was born in Washington, DC in 1947 to Robert F. and Lillian Grant Jackelen. The family moved to Minnesota in 1952. Steve graduated from St. John’s Preparatory School, Collegeville and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a degree in Social Welfare. He obtained a Master’s Degree in Counseling at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He married Ellen Ugelstad in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1971. They moved to Menomonie, Wisconsin where Steve served as Assistant Director of West Central Wisconsin Community Action in Rapid City, South Dakota. In 1981 the family moved to Medford, Wisconsin where Steve worked as the Director of Taylor County Human Services and in 1984 Steve began a ten-year stint as Beltrami County Social Services Director in Bemidji. In 1994 he resigned to start a human services business, Stellher Human Services, Inc. to provide mental health services to children and their families in their schools, homes and communities across northwestern Minnesota.

Steve loved his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He loved the Minnesota Vikings and he was a 30-year season ticket holder and never missed a football game. Besides sports, he enjoyed winters in Arizona and traveling through the United States, Europe and cruises in the Caribbean with family and friends.
Services for Stephen Michael Jackelen will be Tuesday, August 30 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 2508 Washington Ave. SE, Bemidji, MN. 1:00pm Visitation and 2:00pm funeral. Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The Saint John’s Prep community remembers Stephen’s family in our thoughts and prayers.