JoAnn Lynn Kleven, age 63, of rural North Branch, Minnesota, passed away surrounded by loved ones from a heart attack on July 3, 2026, at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth. A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held from 4 – 7 PM Tuesday, July 14th at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association.
JoAnn was born on September 5, 1962, in Rush City, Minnesota, to Leslie and Sharon (Walters) Larson. She graduated from St. Francis High School in 1980. On June 20, 1981, she married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Kleven, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Together they raised their family in East Bethel before moving to rural North Branch in 2005.
JoAnn lived life with a creative spirit and a colorful heart. She loved crafting and making things with her hands, always finding joy in creating something meaningful for the people she loved. Nature was her happy place — whether she was camping in the Boundary Waters, fishing on quiet lakes, watching the northern lights dance across the sky, or simply soaking in the beauty of the outdoors. She treasured adventures big and small, and she filled every one of them with laughter, warmth, and a sense of wonder. Time at the cabin, her love of horses, and her passion for making memories with family were central to who she was. Most of all, JoAnn adored her grandchildren. She cherished spending time with them and “being cool”.
Her big heart, vibrant personality, laugh, and love of color made every moment with her feel bright and unforgettable.
She was preceded in death by her father, Leslie Larson, and two children, Nicholas and SaraAnn Kleven.
JoAnn will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Tom; her children, Toni Avery and Benjamin (Ashley) Kleven; her mother, Sharon Larson; her sister, Terri (Brian Sr.) Renfro; grandchildren Andrew, Caleb, Jennifer, Thomas, Sofie, Eliot, Porter, Knoxwell, and Noella; great‑grandchildren Leanne and Layne; as well as many relatives and friends who will forever carry her memory in their hearts.
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