Obituary for Jean Anne Backstrom

Backstrom, Jean Anne

Jean was born in Lansing, MI on 4/18/1949. She moved with her family to North Tonawanda, NY., Saginaw, MI., South Bend, IN., Clearwater, FL. and then to Brooklyn Center, MN., where she graduated from Robbinsdale HS. She married her one true love, Michael Backstrom in 1972. They welcomed two wonderful sons, Jeffrey (Dhila) Backstrom and Robert (Amy) Backstrom into their lives and Jean enjoyed every part of being a mom. Nothing surpassed this until she became a grandma to Treyton and Atreya, which was like being a mom with sugar on top! Her other passions included: gardening, shopping, coloring,using glitter and sparkles whenever possible, playing flute in community bands in Des Moines, IA and Brooklyn Center, MN, taking trips to Florida, to the lake and to the Minnesota North Shore where she loved hunting for agates and enjoying the scenery. She loved any time spent with family, but her favorites were putting on annual Easter egg hunts for the grandchildren and their cousins, hosting the family’s Christmas celebrations at her home, and celebrating Thanksgiving together.

Jean valiantly battled multiple myeloma for over 8 years, with Mike and her beloved mom, Peggy Root by her side every step of the way, until she finally succumbed to it on 10/3/17. Thank you to Dr. Mark Wilkowske and the rest of the Frauenshuh Cancer Center staff in St. Louis Park and to The Mayo Clinic staff in Rochester for helping her throughout her illness.

Jean is survived by above-mentioned family and her brother, Roland (Jan) Root; sisters, Patricia (Caye) Butler and Carol Root; brothers-in-law, Edward Backstrom, Jr and Paul (Connie) Backstrom; loving nieces and nephews, Nicole (Mark) Hoiland, Kristin (Andrew) Nelson, Corrie (Tanner) Blair, and Matthew Little, Eric (Jessica) Backstrom, and Robert (Kristin) Backstrom; grandnieces and nephews, Morgan Hoiland, Anna Backstrom and Nicholas Backstrom, Kael Nelson, Ethan Nelson, and Kian Hoiland. She was preceded in death by her father, Roland Root; father-in-law, Edward Backstrom Sr.; & mother-in-law, Virginia Backstrom.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Frauenshuh Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic or to any charity donor prefers.

Memorial service to be held at Evans Nordby Funeral home at 6000 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center, MN on October 19, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. Visitation one-hour prior.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: http://www.lls.org/minnesota , 1711 Broadway Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, T (612) 259-4600

Frauenshuh Cancer Center: http://www.parknicollet.com/SpecialtyCenters/Fraue... Mayo Clinic: https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donateMC

Please join the family after the funeral for cake, coffee and fellowship in the reception room.