Elizabeth "Jeannie" Jean Vajgrt

Elizabeth “Jeannie” Jean Vajgrt, age 83, of Mankato passed away on April 12, 2026.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 pm on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at Northview – North Mankato Mortuary.

Elizabeth Jean “Jeannie” Erickson Vajgrt was born on March 31, 1943, to Lyle “Eric” Erickson and Merlyn (Shields) Erickson. She passed away on April 12, 2026, in Mankato, Minnesota.

Jeannie was born on the South Side of Chicago and moved to the suburbs during grade school. She graduated from Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, Illinois, in 1961.

She later attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. It was there that she met her future husband, Robert “Bob” Vajgrt, at a fraternity party. Upon seeing Jeannie across the room, Bob told one of his friends, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.” It was love at first sight for him, though Jeannie took a bit longer to warm up. They both graduated from Iowa State and were married in Ames in 1967.

After graduation, they lived in Urbandale, Iowa, where Jeannie taught elementary school and Bob worked at the Des Moines Register. In 1969, they moved to Coralville, Iowa, where their daughter, Kimberly, was born in 1970 and their son, Bradley, was born in 1975.

In 1978, Bob’s work took the family to St. James, Minnesota, where he worked as a sales manager for Lynks Hybrids. Jeannie worked part-time in the elementary school as a Title I teacher. In 1980, they purchased a cabin on Lake Gilmore near Park Rapids, Minnesota, where they spent summers for many years. The cabin became one of Jeannie’s happiest places. She knew everyone on the lake and loved long weekends with family, sitting on the deck, campfires, time on the pontoon, and the annual “Gilly Fest.”

In 2001, Bob and Jeannie discovered another special place in Southwest Florida. They purchased a condo in the Fort Myers area and began spending winters there while partially retired. Jeannie continued working in the school system in Estero, Florida, until retiring in 2005. She enjoyed playing cards with friends, water aerobics, riding her bike, garage sales, and thrift stores.

Bob passed away unexpectedly in 2015. Jeannie carried that loss with gratitude and often reflected on how blessed she had been to share so many happy years with him. In the years that followed, she moved to a villa in the same community, where she formed many cherished new friendships. She became known as the queen of the driveway gathering. Friendly and outgoing, she was a wonderful conversationalist who simply loved being with people and spending time with friends.

When her health declined, Jeannie found a new home at The Pillars of Mankato. She was grateful to be closer to family and enjoyed lunches and dinners together, holidays, and being able to attend her grandchildren’s events. She also enjoyed taking part in life there, especially Bingo. She quickly came to know many people, remembering names and engaging others in conversation.

Above all, Jeannie loved her family. She is survived by her daughter, Kim (Scott) Danger; her son, Brad (Theresa) Vajgrt; and her grandchildren, Sydney, Nicholas, Luke, and Emily. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert “Bob” Vajgrt, and granddaughter Amanda Marie Vajgrt.

Jeannie will be remembered for her warmth, friendliness, independence, and her gift for bringing people together. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her family and friends.