Ione Andreen

Ione Andreen, 90, of Willmar, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday July 21 at Bethesda Grand in Willmar. Her celebration of life will be 11:00 am, Monday, August 24 at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Lunch will follow the service, with burial after lunch at Clover Leaf Cemetery in Willmar. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson & Johnson Funeral Home in Willmar. www.hafh.org

Ione Eloise Andreen was born on November 3, 1935, to Ralph and Minnie (Rykken) Latterell in Willmar, Minnesota. She attended Whittier School in Kandiyohi through the eighth grade before graduating from Willmar High School in 1953.  

On August 7, 1954, Ione married Ronald Andreen at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Kandiyohi. Together they were blessed with three children: Jayne, Julie, and Timothy. Throughout Ronald's military career, they lived in several communities, including Minneapolis, Willmar, Roseville, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, Great Lakes, Illinois, and San Francisco, California, before eventually returning to Willmar to make their permanent home. No matter where life took them, Ione had a special gift for creating a warm and welcoming home, and she formed lasting friendships in every place they lived. She devoted herself to raising her family as a homemaker and later worked for several years as a receptionist at Great Lakes Credit Union.

A faithful member of Calvary Lutheran Church, Ione was actively involved in circle, the deaconess program, and many other church groups. She also spent many years as a volunteer at Rice Memorial Hospital. In her free time, she enjoyed counted cross-stitch, knitting, reading, and entertaining family and friends. She and Ron devoted much of their retirement to travel throughout the US and Canada.

Her family was the center of her life, and she especially cherished time spent with her children and grandchildren. She realized her last family wish with the birth of her first great-granddaughter in the spring of 2026. She looked forward to celebrating birthdays with her cousins, treasured childhood Christmas gatherings with her extended family, and enjoyed camping trips with Ronald and their children.

Ione is survived by her children, Jayne Andreen (Patrick Sheppard), Julie (Robert) Lutz, and Timothy (Mary Kay) Andreen; grandchildren, Amanda (Cole) Abnet, Rebecca Lutz (John Redepenning), Bradley Andreen, Jacob (Rachael) Andreen, and Margaret Andreen (fiancée, Maddie Brey); great-granddaughter, Charlotte “Charli” Ione Andreen; brother, Dale (Sharon) Latterell; sisters-in-law, Charlotte Andreen, Arlene Andreen, and Lylia Andreen; brother-in-law, Paul Andreen; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ronald, and her parents, Ralph and Minnie Latterell.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar or CentraCare Hospice.