Virginia Christen

Virginia Christen, age 69, resident of Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile, MN and formerly of the Twin Cities, Oklee and Plummer, MN, passed away on Sunday, January 7^th, at Essentia Hospital in Fosston. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 19^th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston with the Rev. Timothy Lundeen officiating. Interment will be in Constance Free Cemetery, Andover, MN at a later date. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Friday (19^th) at the funeral home. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Virginia May Patchen was born on January 15, 1954, in Anoka, Minnesota to parents Leonard and Lois (Blesi) Patchen. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran in Anoka, MN. She grew up in the Anoka and Rogers, Minnesota areas and attended high school in Buffalo. 

She was married to Lee Kappedahl in October of 1972. They lived in various places in the Twin Cities area, mainly Osseo, Brooklyn Park, and Champlin. She received her cosmetology license in 1972 working at many local beauty shops. She gave birth to her wonderful daughter Laura. She and Lee later divorced and Virginia remarried Dan Decowski in 1982.  They also spent a short time in Colorado before returning to Minnesota in 1983. They divorced later that year, and she continued her career until she retired in 2016. During her time working, she obtained many certificates including her GED with the support of her daughter. She remarried in February of 2002 to Chris Christen. They divorced in 2014. Soon thereafter she moved to Trail and Oklee, Minnesota to be near family. She moved into Country Place in Erskine in 2020, then briefly, in 2023, with her daughter, Laura, in Plummer, and finally, Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile. 

Virginia was a hairdresser for over 52 years. She loved spending time with family and friends.  She was especially fond of her cats and dog, she cared for and cuddled with many during her time with us. She enjoyed gardening, maintaining flowers, and playing Bingo. She will be remembered for her laugh and smile, which was contagious even from outside the room. She spent much of her time in and out of the hospital within the last 6months, however, she was happy and go-lucky with all the nurses and staff who had the opportunity to meet her.

Survivors include her daughter, Laura Kappedahl (Bobby Watne) of Plummer, MN; three grandsons, John O’Brien (Amber) of Clear Lake, MN, Jesse O’Brien (Tera) of Thief River Falls, MN, and Jordan (Bailee) O’Brien of Winger, MN; two great-grandchildren, Drake and Fiona; two sisters, LeAnne (Bill) Nelson of Santa Clarita, CA and Lisa Patchen of St. Peter, MN; one brother, Dale Patchen of St. Joseph, MN; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, former husband, Lee Kappedahl, sister, Darla. & Niece Amber.