Jean Kalmes

Jean (Reed) Kalmes, age 96 of rural Rollingstone passed away on Monday, October 13, 2025, at St. Anne Extended Healthcare in Winona MN.

Jean was born to Harold "Tom" Reed and Margaret Ann (Thorpe ) Reed on November 25, 1928, in Winona. Jean married Donald Arthur Kalmes in May 1948 and they were married 61 years at the time of his death November 10, 2008. Donnie, she, and family members enjoyed traveling to Europe, Mexico, Canada, and to almost all of the states.

Her husband, children, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren gave her much pleasure in her life, as did many other family members and friends, her many students, and fellow workers.

She attended school in Winona and graduated with honors at WSHS and Winona State University. She received her MA from the University of Minnesota. She taught at Lewiston MN, Winona Senior High School, St. Mary's University, and Winona State University. She served as an educator, a lecturer, a published poet and author, a grant writer, and a volunteer worker for many years. She did private tutoring and spent many hours in volunteer work for Rollingstone school.

She received numerous awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for her thirty years of work as a founding member, officer, fundraising chairperson, restoration chair, and director of the first official Luxembourg Museum in the U.S. She had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg several times as well as many friends and dignitaries from Luxembourg. She was a recipient of the Bishop's citation for her sixty years of service to her church. She was also the recipient of an award at the National Convention of the Council of Catholic Women and a stipend from the U.S. Bishops. She was honored July 10, 2014 with her day at the Winona County Fair Hall of Fame.

Survivors include her daughter, Linda Mendez of Key West, FL, and her daughter Kristine (Scott) Karl of Geneva, IL and Bonita Springs, FL; and her son, John (Julie) Kalmes of Rollingstone, MN, and their children: Jason (Nicole) Kalmes of Rollingstone, Jessica Kalmes (Erik) of Rochester, MN, Jordan (Michelle) Kalmes of Fountain City, WI and Jonah (Jordan Sarah) Kalmes of Charlotte Hall, MD; and great-grandchildren: Gabe (Brianna), Sam, Ashlynn, Jaiden, and Jaxson; brothers: Harold Reed, and Phillip (Nedra) Reed; sisters-in-law: Marian Reed, and Sue Reed; and many other relatives and friends.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald; grandchild, Joshua; bothers: Raymond "Kip"(Charlotte) Reed, Richard Reed, and David Reed; and sister-in-law: Barbara Reed.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Jean’s friends: Brenda Anderson, Pam Wood, as well as Sue Reed for all their help and care in getting Grandma to her appointments and social events. They would also like to thank Nicole Severson and St. Croix Hospice.

A memorial Mass will be held Friday, October 24, 2025 at 12:00pm at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Rollingstone, MN, with Rev. Chinnappa Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery.

The Mass will be recorded and made available to watch shortly following the service. Click here to watch the recorded service.