Stephen “Steve” Januschka, 96, Little Falls

September 22, 1923 - October 6, 2019

Stephen “Steve” Januschka, 96-year-old resident of Little Falls died Sunday, October 6 at St. Otto’s Care Center in Little Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 A.M at the St. Francis Convent Chapel in Little Falls. A visitation will be held from 4-8 PM on Friday, October 11at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls and from 10:00-11:00 A.M. at the St. Francis Convent Chapel in Little Falls. The burial will be held at Holy Family Belle Prairie Cemetery.

Stephen “Steve” Januschka was born on September 22, 1923 in Ripley Township, Morrison County, Minnesota. He attended Country school in Belle Prairie Township, Morrison County. Steve was united in marriage to Rose Schmidtbauer on June 20, 1950 at St. John’s Nepomuk Catholic Church in Lastrup, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Belle Prairie Township where they raised their eight children and lived all their married lives. Steve worked in the maintenance department at St. Gabriel’s Hospital for 15 years. He then went to work for the Franciscan Sisters in the maintenance department for the next 25 years. Steve’s children remember the trips to “Market Street” in Little Falls to sell pigs and a hot chocolate at the café afterwards and bailing hay and trips to the Dairy Queen after the work was done. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and instilled a tremendous work ethic in his children and grandchildren. Steve loved his time on the family farm raising crops, tending to his pigs and driving his skid steer. He looked forward to a drive in the fall to look at the changing colors. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Holy Family Catholic Church Belle Prairie.

Left to cherish his memory are his children, Elizabeth "Betty" (Allen) Heinz of Little Falls, MN, Helen (Tom) Swanson of Brainerd, MN, Aggie (Mark) Graham of Fountain Hills, AZ, Catherine "Cate" (John) Thompson of Milaca, MN, Jerry (Jackie) Januschka of Little Falls, MN, Ben (Peggy) Januschka of North Mankato, MN, Louise (Joe) Heimler of Menomonie, WI, and Grace (Brian) Hawkins of Tucson, AZ; 16 grandchildren, Stephen Heinz, Julie Gruber, Angie Nelson, Sara Schmidt, Maria Ozanne, Beth Tippett, Andrea Johnson, Tessa Dahlstrom, Janelle Schrupp, Jolene Beisang, Josh Januschka, Laura Januschka-Blasing, Jonathan Heimler, James Heimler, Michael Hawkins and Nick Hawkins; 23 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Beatrice Schmidtbauer, Carol Schmidtbauer, Leiha Larson and siblings, Ann Yoerg, Francis Januschka and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Rose; siblings, John Januschka, Ed Januschka and a sister, Sr. Jeremia Januschka.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN.