Jirik, Nancy Our beloved mother, Nancy Jirik age 94, passed away on August 22, at United Hospital in St. Paul, 29 years to the day following her husband, Joe's, death. Nancy was born January 4th, 1926, in Brookings, South Dakota, to Lacey and Marjorie Caldwell, the youngest of four children. She graduated from Murray High School and earned a teaching degree from the University of Minnesota in 1948. In 1951 she married Joseph Jirik and they had five children. In 1962, the family moved from Mountain Iron, Minnesota, to Germany when Joe took a job with the US federal government as a high school principal on an American military base. Nancy shepherded the family through a subsequent series of moves around Germany, to Belgium, and finally to Okinawa, Japan. Nancy was a stay at home mother and a great source of stability through the multiple family moves. Following Joe's retirement from federal service, they settled in Monticello, Minnesota. After Joe's death, Nancy moved to an apartment in St. Paul, where she resided until her death. Nancy enjoyed making her own greeting cards and painting various craft items. She continued to enjoy traveling and toured much of the US with her daughter, Barbara, even camping and sleeping in a tent. She embraced technology, emailing every day and even learning to use Alexa to control her TV. Nancy is survived by her sister Donna Opp of Minneapolis, her children: Barbara of St. Paul, Greg (Susan) of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Peter (Caty) of Edina, Mary Jo (Stan) of Richmond, California, and Sarah (Brian) of Golden Valley, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. The family was assisted in arrangements by the Cremation Society of Minnesota. A celebration of Nancy's life will be held when it is safe for family and friends to gather.