Jennifer Marie Purkat

Mass of Christian burial for Jennifer Marie Purkat, 46, of Duluth will be 10 a.m. Thursday, July 1, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gilbert with Fr. Charles Flynn celebrating.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to Mass at the church.  Interment will be in the Gilbert Cemetery.  Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert.

Jennifer died Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.

She was born on September 21, 1974 to Jan and Patsy (Novak) Purkat in Virginia.  Jennifer graduated from the Eveleth-Gilbert High School, Class of 1993 where she participated in volleyball, basketball, and played clarinet in the band.  She furthered her education at SCSU where she graduated Cum Laude with a degree in elementary education in 1998.  Jennifer began her teaching career at the Edison School in Duluth.  She continued to work at various day care centers.  Jennifer had two sons, Devin in 1998 and Keshaun in 2001.  Jennifer worked various part time jobs while working full time at United Healthcare in Duluth to support her sons.  She dearly loved her boys and took the greatest pleasure in spending time with them going to basketball games, movies, and taking road trips.  She volunteered coaching Keshaun’s basketball and softball teams.  Jennifer enjoyed cooking, baking, and attending concerts.  She was a huge Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, and MN Timberwolves fan as well as an avid reality TV watcher.  Jennifer also valued her many friendships and will be dearly missed.

Survivors include her two sons: Devin (Savannah) and Keshaun Purkat-Durden both of Duluth; her mother, Patsy of Gilbert; sister, Tina Purkat of Gilbert; paternal grandfather, Don Purkat of McKinley; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends

She was preceded in death by her father, Jan (2012); maternal grandparents: William “Beets” and Pauline Novak; paternal grandmother, Jane Purkat; aunt and uncle: Marge (Novak) and Dan Rozman.