JoAn Marie (Leseman) Angell

JoAn Marie (Leseman) Angell, age 89, a long-time resident of Babbitt, Minnesota, passed away in her home Thursday, February 13, 2025.

She was born on September 22, 1935, in Northome, Minnesota, where she was raised with one brother and three sisters. It was there that she met the love of her life, Tommy Angell.

JoAn and Tommy started their married life in St. Paul, and eventually settled in Babbitt where they raised their their three children: Charlie, Tim, and Cindy. They both shared a love of long motorcycle trips, traveling, attending fly-ins, Saturday night at the country club, where her love of pizza began.

Artistic expression was a passion for JoAn. She had a remarkable talent for oil painting, rose mauling, and sculpture, and had the honor of painting the original “Welcome to Babbitt” sign.

She drove school bus for many years and sold pull tabs at The Hideaway and Tank’s.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ella; brother, Henry; sister, Patricia; husband, Tommy; and son, Charlie.

She is survived by son, Tim, Leslee and family; daughter, Cindy and family; Charlie’s daughters and families; sisters: Jeannette, Eleanor and families; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Her memory will live on in the hearts of her family, the art she created and it will be told with joy and fondness by those who were privileged to be part of her extraordinary life.

A celebration of JoAn's life will be on Saturday, March 29th, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the Woodland Presbyterian Church in Babbitt, Minnesota (Address: 20 Acacia Rd, Babbitt, MN 55706). Visitation will be held one hour prior at 12:00 p.m.