Janet "Jan" Garritson , 87, passed away at Mapleview Memory Care in Grand Forks, North Dakota on March 17, 2026.

Janet "Jan" Irene Eckstein was born on April 18, 1938 in Wadena, Minnesota to Richard and Violet (Ludtke) Eckstein. She grew up in Wadena and East Grand Forks, graduating high school in East Grand Forks. After school, she worked at Walman Optical in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Jan worked for a short time before she married her husband, Virgil Garritson, on August 22, 1959 at St. Michael's Church of Grand Forks. After Jan married Virgil, she became a homemaker, staying home to care for and raise their sons.

Outside of work and caring for her home and her children, Jan and Virgil spent 50 years enjoying the cabin they built at Island Lake. Jan loved flower gardening for many summers. She also had a natural talent for painting and could have been an artist. Her favorite subjects to paint were animals and landscapes.

She is survived by her children, Guy (Cheryl "CJ") Garritson of Champlin, MN, and Gary (Dawn) Garritson of East Grand Forks, MN; her sister, Carol Rygg of Grand Forks, ND; her grandchildren, Michael, Sean (Monique), Scott, Jack (Katie), Hunter; and five great-grandchildren.

Jan was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; parents, Richard and Violet Eckstein; and her sister, LaVay Eckert.

VISITATION: 5-7 PM, Sunday, March 22, 2026 at the Dahl Funeral Home, East Grand Forks, MN.

FUNERAL SERVICE: 11:30 AM – Monday March 23, 2026 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, East Grand Forks, MN, and 1 hour before services at the church.

INURNMENT: Resurrection Cemetery – Spring 2026