Janet Ann (Brase) Donovan, age 86 of Wells, MN, died the evening of Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at Heartland Senior Living – Clark Crossings, surrounded by her family. The memorial service will be held Friday, September 19, 2025 6 pm at Nasinec Funeral Home in Wells, MN with a visitation from 3-6 pm.

Janet was born at home in Waseca, MN September 9, 1939 to Leonard and Bernice (Lau) Brase. When she was 17, she graduated from Southern School of Agriculture in Waseca. She was married to Leslie Severson and to this union 3 children were born: Jeff Severson, Dan Severson, and Carmen Severson; they later divorced in 1968. She then married John Donovan and to this union one child was born: Mary (Donovan) Navarro.

They made their life together in New Richland and then Wells in 1980; in 1994 they moved to Mesa, AZ, and then she returned to Wells in 2019. Throughout her working years, Janet spent most of her life working at Blue Coach chicken factory in Wells, which later became Swift-Eckrich. When they moved to Arizona in 1994, Janet worked at SDI where her nickname was “Turbo”, and she got to go to Atlanta with the company. Janet also worked at Southwest Auto Sales, as a dog washer, and her final job was at Desert Blossom, a rehabilitation center where she cleaned rooms until 2017/18. In 2003 she and John enjoyed a trip to Ireland.

Janet was a caring, outgoing, people-person, and she was quick to turn strangers into friends. She loved caring for her animals and throwing and playing ball with them. She loved spending time with her sister Darlene and she liked going to the casino, she always had the magic and won. She loved her sweets, listening and dancing to music, and enjoying the pool in Arizona. She started rolling her own cigarettes as she enjoyed sitting on the porch and having a cup of coffee with French Vanilla and a cigarette or two. Janet was a spitfire and always joking. She said, “when I pass, have a pizza party and play ‘Knock 3 Times on the Ceiling’”.

Janet is preceded in death by both of her parents; her husband John (2007) and ex-husband Leslie Severson; four sisters: Mary, Cleone, Darlene, and Beverly; her brother Steven; her grandson Jacob (1984); brothers-in-law: Kenneth Buchert, Dean Hawes, and Keith Larson; and sister-in-law Lorraine Brase.

Janet is survived by her children: Mary (Reggie) Navarro of Wells, MN, Jeff (Vicki Otto) Severson of Montgomery, MN, Dan Severson of Hinckley, MN, and Carmen Severson of Arizona; three grandchildren: Sapphire (Nick) Navarro of Wells, MN, Jason Severson of Hinckley, Minnesota, and Adam Severson of Hinckley, MN; she will also be remembered by four siblings: Duane Brase of Waseca, MN, Russell Brase of Good Thunder, MN, Susie Buchert of Mankato, MN, and Linda (Steven) Koester of Tennessee; as well as many nieces, nephews, and their families.

 

To watch the memorial service, please follow this link: https://youtube.com/live/h3SMdW4ddA8?feature=share