Funeral services for Jack Burrell, 81, will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 3, at the First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake with Pastor Clint Loveall officiating. Interment will be at Lake View Gardens, Spirit Lake. He passed away on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville.
Jack Burrell was born on Dec. 12, 1940, in Estherville, Iowa. His parents were Kenneth and Genevieve (Beck) Burrell and he had a younger brother Jerry Burrell.
Jack grew up in Estherville and loved playing high school sports – football, track, and basketball. He attended college at Mankato State College in Mankato, MN. He met the love of his life Margie Dinse working in the college dining services. They married August 6, 1961, in Meriden, MN. They lived in St. Peter, MN after their marriage and Jack worked for Hoffer Glass.
In 1963, Jack had the opportunity to move back to Estherville and work with his Dad (Kenneth). They owned and operated Burrell Oil Company for over 50 years.
In 1970, Jack bought land on the east side of Estherville and founded Green Acres Homes. He and Margie ran the business together until he retired and turned the business over to his son Monte Burrell. Jack was an entrepreneur who built a successful business that includes Green Acres Village, Okoboji Village and the Sales and Service Center. Green Acres Homes recently celebrated 52 years in business.
Jack and Margie had 5 children Lisa, Lori, Gregg, Monte, and Steven. As the patriarch of his home, family was the most important thing to him. He created a supportive and loving home environment. Jack was very involved in volunteering to support his children’s sporting activities – swimming, wrestling, basketball, and flag football. He also worked as a High School Football referee for many years. Jack was involved in the Shriner’s, Mason’s, Kiwanis Club, Iowa Manufactured Housing Association, Estherville Booster Club, Ocean Harbor HOA Board of Directors and was a longtime member of the Presbyterian Church of Estherville and Spirit Lake. Jack and Margie built a beautiful home on the south end of Big Spirit Lake. He loved the lake and spending time with his family and friends in his home.
Jack was an avid fisherman and loved going with the boys in his family and extended family to Canada for over 40 years. He also loved to hunt pheasants and waterfowl and took numerous hunting trips to ND and SD. Jack also loved all things sweet – ice cream, M and M’s, cookies, pies, etc.
The later years of his life, Jack and Margie spent their winters in Fort Myers Beach, FL They created a whole network of friends which became like family to them.
Jack is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margie Burrell, of Fort Myers Beach, FL and Spirit Lake, Iowa; children, Lisa (Scott) Burrell Lair of Lakeville, MN /Fort Myers, FL, Lori (Greg) Burrell Friesner of Sioux Falls, SD, Gregg (Rebecca) Burrell of Lakeville, MN, Monte (Catherine) Burrell of Spirit Lake, IA, and Steven (Tara) Burrell of Farmington, MN; 14 grandchildren, Kyle (Linsey) Lair, Kirk Lair, Kendra Lair, Krista (Kyle) Blake, Kevin (Bryanna) Friesner, Kaitlyn (fiancé Fulei Peng) Friesner, Brandon Burrell, Amanda (Ben) Lamar, Alex (Romance)Burrell, Emily (fiancé Michael O’Brien) Burrell, Evan Burrell, Brennan Burrell, Jackson Burrell, and Bennett Burrell; 4 great-grandchildren, Adelyn and Eden Blake, Abigail Friesner, and Aidan Burrell; sisters-in-law, Joyce (Warren) Krumwiede and Diane Burrell Wilson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Genevieve Burrell, brother, Jerry Burrell, mother and father-in-law, Edfried and Ella Dinse, uncle, Robert Beck and sister-in-law, Carol (Bob) Marold.
Jack will be remembered for his generosity, hospitality, work ethic, kindness to those in need and his love for his family.
Online condolences can be left for Jack’s family at HenryOlsonFuneral.com.
