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Janelle Erica Larsen entered her heavenly rest on December 3rd, 2023, following a valiant fight and long battle with depression.

She was born at the Grand Marais hospital on August 31, 1978. She attended Cook County High School and graduated in 1997. She then joined Youth with a Mission, University of the Nations where she took classes in Honolulu, Hawaii and was sent on a Christian outreach assignment to Fiji. There she further developed her natural heart for people who struggle with poverty and other hardships.

She graduated from Bethel University with a BA in Education. Part of her degree involved teaching a 2nd grade class in Spanish in Guadalajara, Mexico. She loved the children, culture and the entire experience.

She married Peter Mellema in 2000 and had two children, Bjorn (17) and Brielle (14). Parenting and her children were Janelle’s greatest joy in life, and she was so proud of their intelligence, creativity, strength and kindness toward others.

Janelle was a gentle and kind spirit who found the exceptional beauty in God’s creation. She often stopped to admire and capture a sunset, a newly fallen leaf, children, animals and the beauty of people. She was truly in awe of the beauty in this world and had the keen sensitivity to stop and take it in.

She was a talented artist, musician and creative writer. Her artistic ability was a gift from God that she used to bless others. She found it effortless to describe her thoughts and feelings through prose and created deep poems and fun stories. In her visual art, she was commissioned to create portraits of families and children and beautifully captured the personalities and essence of her subjects. She was creative in all aspects of her life. She was chosen to showcase one of her portraits in a juried show at the Minnesota State Fair Art building in 2006. She also drummed in various church worship teams and participated with international musicians and singers in a song of hope during COVID.

Janelle was quick with a smile; embodied a genuine kindness and brought joy to those she knew. She was very adventurous and loved snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain biking, and hiking among other sports. She was as vivacious as she was kind, and she was spontaneously friendly to most strangers she came across. Often this encounter led to longterm friendships. She had a gift for making others feel special.

Janelle had a very strong core faith, aiming to shine God’s light to others every day of her life.

She was an amazing Mother, daughter, sister, wife, aunt, cousin and friend.

Janelle is survived by her beloved children Bjorn and Brielle Mellema, her sister Julie (Santiago) Larsen Zarzosa, parents James and Jacqueline Larsen, nieces Sophia Larsen Zarzosa, Lily Mellema and Jade Mellema; nephews Rafael Larsen Zarzosa, Samuel Mellema and Hudson Mellema, and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, family and friends. Preceded in death by her nephew Noah Mellema.

Celebration of Life will be held: Saturday, December 16th at 1:00 pm.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN.

*Dress code: Colorful, happy colors in clothing requested* Online condolences may be left at www. iowacremation under obituaries.