Toni R. Mickelson

Toni R. Mickelson, age 76, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at Mercy Hospital, United Campus in Fridley.   

There will be a Celebration of Life for Toni on Saturday, March 16, 2024 from 2:00 to 4:00 at The Redemption Restaurant in Faribault.  

Toni was born on September 20, 1947 in Faribault to Earl and Jeanette (Luckow) Fritz.  She graduated from Bethlehem Academy in 1965.  Upon graduation Toni worked at Nelson’s Super Value.  She had a daughter, Janna Leigh in 1969.  Toni married John S. (Jack) Mickelson, on January 16, 1972.   The couple along with daughter Janna moved to Rice Lake and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, returning to Faribault in 1975.  She worked various jobs, and in 1985, Toni took a position at The Wilson Center as an Adolescent Care Worker until it closed in 2001.   She loved working with staff and serving and interacting with the residents there.

Toni returned to school enrolling at South Central College in their nursing program.  It was a huge undertaking returning to school after so many years, but Toni persevered and graduated with her LPN AAS degree.  Upon graduation she worked at the Faribault Clinic until she retired.  However, she began an Encore Career at Bernie’s Grill, and also at Finally a Gift Store, lending a hand to her daughter Janna.  She shared that working at Finally was her favorite place to be and had fond memories of serving and chatting with customers there.   

Toni had a wonderful sense of humor and could make anyone around her laugh.  She had many friends that she enjoyed and kept in touch with.  In her free time, Toni enjoyed crocheting, knitting, macrame, crossword puzzles, reading books, and playing cards, especially cribbage and euchre.  Family was important to Toni, and she especially enjoyed spending time and communicating with her grandkids and great grandchildren.  Keeping up with them was the highlight of her day.  

Toni is survived by daughter Janna (Brett) Reese, grandchildren, Nikkole (Dylan) Eastman, Andrew Viscomi (fiancé Rebecca Hanscom), and Christopher Viscomi (fiancé Kaleigh Nybo); great-grandchildren Eli, Maysen, and Casey Eastman and Aaron Hanscom; sisters, Jill (Lawson) Hilder, Randie (Jim) La Forge, Tracie (Wade) Bauer and Kellie Fritz;  former son-in-law Bernie Viscomi, several nieces and nephews, Aunt Marlys (Luckow) Kattenberg and Uncle Ronald Luckow.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; parents Earl and Jeanette Fritz, significant other Jerry Bugge, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

The family would like to thank the staff of Milestone where Toni resided for the past 6 years along with the staff at Mercy Hospital, United Campus, who cared for Toni the last weeks of her life.   God’s Peace and Blessings.