Joseph Arthur Fjell, age 73, of Osceola, Nebraska, passed away December 22, 2024 at Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Hospital in Osceola.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, December 26, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Osceola with Pastor Raleigh White officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Organist will be Louise Wheeler. Pianist will be Roni Branting. Musical selections will be “Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone” and "Children Of The Heavenly Father" by St. Paul Lutheran Choir. Vocalists will be Rachel Branting, Laura Bjerrum and Sarah Minturn singing “In Christ Alone.” Pallbearers will be Carter Fjell, Ethan Fjell, Garrett Drozd, Elijah Fjell, Landan Drozd and Emmett Drozd. Honorary pallbearers will be Elise Fjell, Olivia Drozd and Cecilia Drozd. Interment will be in the Osceola Cemetery.

Joe was born April 19, 1951 in Osceola to Joseph Luther and F. Orpha (Ekstrom) Fjell. He attended school in Osceola, graduating in 1969. He then attended Kearney State College. He moved back to Osceola and worked for the city for a few years. He was united in marriage to Shelly Jo Johnson. To this union two children were born. He then began working at Osceola Implement where he became a partner, eventually selling to Leonard Davidson.

On July 4, 1987 he was united in marriage to Jacqueline Lee (Rutter) Johansen at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Osceola. Joe began working at Double O Trucking in Duncan and then at Sahling Kenworth in York in sales and business management. He retired March 31, 2017. They spent a couple of winters in Mission, Texas, part of the Rio Grande Valley.

He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he served as a council member; and Polk County Wildlife Assoc. He enjoyed attending his family and grandkids activities, camping and hosting across the State of Nebraska at various state parks, fishing, squirrel watching, tractor pulling and was a big fan of Nebraska football and volleyball.

Survivors include his wife Jackie of Osceola; son Ryan (Jennifer) Fjell of Stromsburg; daughter Shauna (Bill) Drozd of Osceola; step-children Kyle (Renate) Johansen of Stromsburg, Roni (Mike) Branting of Stromsburg and Toby (Trisha) Johansen of Osceola; nine grandchildren, 11 step-grandchildren; two step-great grandchildren; sister Beth (Lindy) Whitney of Aurora, CO; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Orpha Fjell; grandparents: William Herman and Alma Sophia (Forss) Fjell, and Arthur Gustaf Emanuel and Florence Olivia (Carlson) Ekstrom.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later.

Dubas Funeral Home of Osceola and Stromsburg has been entrusted with arrangements. Dubasfuneralhome.com