In Memory of Jill Bjornson

Jill I. Bjornson, age 78 of Ham Lake passed away October 3, 2025 at Park River Estates Care Center in Coon Rapids. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, October 24th at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in East Bethel. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the the service at the church. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Jill Ione Bjornson (Holritz) was born December 6, 1946 in Canby, Minnesota. She was adopted at 9 months old by John and Ruby (Wold) Enzminger and was raised in Jamestown, ND. Jill worked as a telephone operator and later in Labor Relations for US West. In 1965 Jill married Robert Holritz, Sr. in Jamestown. A year later they moved to Fargo where their son, Robert Jr. was born. They later lived in Minneapolis and New Brighton, Minnesota before settling in Ham Lake where they became active members at Our Saviours Lutheran Church. In 1986 Robert Sr. passed away. Jill retired from US West in 1996 and started working part-time at Forever Floral and volunteering more at the church.

Jill met Benjamin Bjornson from Valley City and they were married in 1990 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Chapel. Jill and Ben continued as active members of the church, enjoyed traveling and watching their family expand with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ben passed away in 2020 from complications of a heart transplant 13 years prior.

Jill enjoyed time with family, Bob’s fish fries, reading and going to the theater with friends and family (she never threw out a playbill). Her most recent travels to New York and Galveston, TX were great memories that she shared with everyone! Jill loved her time at Forever Floral and driving the little yellow van around for deliveries. She continued to be active in the church and became a member of the staff at Our Saviours but decided she did not want that “responsibility”, so she “quit” and continued the job as a volunteer.

Jill passed away peacefully October 3, 2025, shortly after the discovery of a brain tumor. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert Holritz, Sr and Benjamin Bjornson and half-brother, Richard Hagen. She will be lovingly remembered by her son, Robert “Bob” Holritz, Jr and daughter-in-law, Peggy; grandchildren, Kayla Martin (Ben), Ryan Holritz, Megan Lero (Donovan) and Emma Lero; great-grandchildren Luella Martin and Makai Trotter; half sister-in-law, Joanne Hagen and her daughter, Holly; as well as the Bjornson family – Brother-in-law Dave Bjornson (Debb); step-sons Paul (Carla), Darrin and Chad (Peighton); grandchildren: Kali, Kayla, Marcus, Cody, Morningstar, Katiri, Dominick, Shyree, Terrance and Jonah; great-grandchild: Elliot along with her church family and many friends.

As a family, we would like to thank you for your loving support. Jill was an incredible woman who touched so many lives, and she will be dearly missed.