Connie Louise (Schuster) Ness

Connie Ness, age 81, of Barnesville, died at her home in Barnesville after battling Leukemia on Sunday, April 2, 2023. 

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church with Rev. Chris Leach officiating.  Burial will follow in City Cemetery, Barnesville. 

Visitation will be held from 12:30-2 PM on Saturday at the church. 

Constance Louise Johnk was born on April 16, 1941, in Moorhead, MN to Fritz Carl Edward and Alice Mae (Cornish) Johnk.  She grew up on a farm in rural Sabin, MN.  She attended country school and then graduated from Moorhead High School in 1959.  She worked at A & T Supply in Moorhead before marriage. 

On November 23, 1962, Connie was united in marriage to Calvin John Schuster at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sabin, MN.  The couple lived in Campbell, MN where Calvin and Connie farmed until 1966 when they moved to Brushvale, MN. 

In 1969, after living in Moorhead, MN for a brief time, they moved the family to Barnesville, MN.  In 1984, they moved to Fergus Falls until 1998, when they returned to Barnesville.  During these years, she was well known for her upholstery business.  Also during these years, she helped Calvin with the office work of ABC Seamless. 

Calvin died in 2011.  Connie continued to live in Barnesville.  On April 19, 2014, she was united in marriage to John Ness and Connie gained more family members.  They have lived in Barnesville the last nine years.  Throughout her life, Connie enjoyed her flower gardens, embroidering, dancing, and decorating the inside and outside of her house at Christmas time.  Connie’s grandchildren and family were very important to her.  She was a member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church. 

Connie is survived by her husband John Ness, Barnesville, MN; one son Harold (Shelley) Schuster, Lakeville, MN, one daughter Debra (Darcy) Brandt, rural Comstock, MN, grandchildren: Matthew (Sarah) Schuster, Megan (David) Benjamin, and Kayla (Josh) Garcia, Abby (Corey) Praska and Beau Brandt, 4 ½ great grandchildren: Clara, Elias, Easton, and Mia, siblings: Ronald Johnk, Beverly (Laurence) Butenhoff, Lila Krebs, Mark (Traci Krabbenhoft) Johnk, Mary (Dennis) Ward, and Robert (Lynn) Johnk, and several nieces and nephews, step children: Brenda (Gary) Altenbrendt, Darla (Greg) Ackerson, Michael (Lois) Ness, grandchildren: Dannica (Patrick) Olsen, Mason (Carly) Montplaisir, Johnathon Ness, Jordan Ness, Morgan Braton, five great grandchildren, and surviving in-laws:  Gloria Beyers, Joyce Larson, Claudia Schuster,  Ann Olsgaard. 

She was preceded in death by her first husband Calvin in 2011, and her parents Fritz and Alice.