Joan M. Burrows

Joan Mildred (Pahl) Burrows, age 82, of Hovland, MN, passed away unexpectedly on June 7, 2025 at her home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM with a Visitation from 9:30 - 10:45 AM on Friday, June 13, 2025 at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16400 Duluth Ave SE, Prior Lake, MN 55372. Father Tom Walker will preside. Joan will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Joan's family.

Joan was born in Minneapolis, Mn. She was the daughter of Ben and Marion Pahl and the second in line to twelve other siblings. She was raised in Bloomington, Dayton, and Prior Lake.

Joan grew up caring for her many siblings. She was always loving and cared deeply for them as well as all of her family and friends. All of her siblings had nicknames for each other, hers being “Big Cow”. We think it’s because she was the oldest girl. 😊

Joan attended Prior Lake High School. Her family lived in Candy Cove on Prior Lake for a stint. When she wasn’t helping care for her siblings she could be found working at “Green Heights” the bar on Prior Lake that her parents owned and operated. She often shared many fond memories and funny stories of that time.

In 1961 she was married to Calvin Brown. Together they had two sons, Brian and Bradley.

In 1969 at Watertown, SD she married the true love of her life Robert “Bob” Burrows and together had a son, Raymond. Last October they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary! Joan and Bob were inseparable and did everything together. Together they owned and operated “Bob’s Siding Company” where she provided needed support and bookkeeping. While doing that she wore many hats; Homemaker, worked in manufacturing for IPCO, retail at the Holiday Store, was a Department Head at Boat US, and retired working for Rosemount Engineering where she worked in the Resistor Department as a shift leader soldering and assembling resistors for circuitry boards. Joan took ALL of her jobs serious with tremendous pride in everything she was responsible for. She pursued things that were closely aligned with her interests such as; everything outdoors, boating, and fishing. Joan was a proven leader and excelled at everything that she put her mind to. If anyone knew Joan, they knew that she could rarely sit still. During retirement her and Bob worked side by side at “Dockside Fish Market” in Grand Marais where they harvested Roe (herring eggs). Despite the long periods of standing and hard work involved, they were both very proud of the work they achieved there. They both set the bar high for others at that job.

During Joan’s first marriage with Calvin were spent water skiing. They were active members in the Prior Lake Water Ski Association, and both skied in the Prior Lake Water Ski Show. She was an extremely talented skier in several of the events and was very proud to be a part of it.

The next chapter in her life with Bob opened the door for many exciting adventures. Together they hunted waterfowl and upland birds with family and friends. They also enjoyed camping up in the arrowhead where they fished inland lakes and hunted for agates and other gemstones. There they developed a strong interest for the area and Lake Superior. They loved sharing all of their passions with their kids and grandkids.

As Joan and Bob’s passion for Lake Superior grew, they purchased a 25’ Bayliner and equipped it for fishing on the big lake. They named the boat “Dire Straits”. For several years while residing in the Lakeville area, they would spend almost every weekend traveling to Grand Marais where they docked their boat in the Harbor there. They fished for Lake Trout and Salmon throughout the seasons each year. As their interest and confidence grew, they began boating out to Isle Royale on Lake Superior. Joan prided herself on her fishing skills and being Bob’s first mate on navigating their boat. During their active boating year’s, they met many dear friends with the same interests. Soon after they became active in the “Isle Royale’s Boaters Association”. Lake Superior captured their hearts so much that when they retired in 2005, they took up permanent residence in Hoveland, Mn just 17 miles up the shore from Grand Marais.

Not only is Joan leaving behind many dear family and friends, she is also leaving behind a whole herd of deer friends that she befriended year after year. The deer became dependent on her for corn and oatmeal creams. She always made sure that all of her birds and deer friends were fed before herself. Joan kept a detailed journal of all of her bird and wildlife sightings as well as the daily weather statistics.

If “Dancing with the Stars” was a thing back in the day, Joan would have definitely been a contestant and would have walked away with the “Mirrorball Trophy” 😊. She could be found living her best life tearing up the dance floor at wedding receptions and family functions always sporting a huge smile as if she was the only one dancing.

She was known for her feisty self but at the same time showing kindness, compassion, and unconditional love towards everyone. She was so proud of the fact that she could connect and communicate with the birds and wildlife that she befriended. Raising parakeets was another passion of Joans. “Flappy” was a common name that she called them.

Joans grandkids were her world. She enjoyed taking them on the boat and even staying overnight on the boat. Camping, hiking, watching wildlife, doing artwork projects and crafts, were some of the many other things she loved doing with them. She loved watching her granddaughter Krystal play high school and college hockey.

Joan is survived by her husband, Robert "Bob" Burrows; sons, Brian (Angela Campbell) Brown, Bradley Brown, and Raymond Burrows; grandchildren, Brian Jr. (Nicole), Clayton (Arika), Taryl (Mai), Sadie, Jaebin, Krystal, and Raine; siblings, Nick (Judy) Pahl, Ben (Glady) Pahl, Ted (Maradee) Pahl, Monie (Bernie) Roehning, Ernie (Lynn) Pahl, Faith Groff, Hope Pahl, Charity (Vern) Kleve, and Tammy (Tom) Marchessault; brother-in-Law, Ed Johnstone; and many nieces, nephews, other loving relatives and many dear friends.

She is preceded in death by her first husband, Calvin Brown; parents, Ben & Marion Pahl; siblings, Bruce (Barb) Pahl, Sherry (Bruce) Bergeron, Shelly Johnstone; and nieces, Heidi Newton and Brenda Pahl.