Jeanette Harriet Jacobson Kolstad was born on the family farm near Deer Park, Wisconsin, on July 27, 1920, to Jens and Minnie Jacobson. She was the older of two children born to this marriage. She was raised with Merle, her younger brother, and Howard Johnson, her cousin. She attended Northview School where she met some of her closest life-long friends. She was a member of the last class to be confirmed in the Norwegian language at East Immanuel Lutheran Church.  Her father, an immigrant from Norway, died when she was only 16 years old. She attended Amery High School and was a member of the first large class to have bus transportation to high school. After graduation, she worked helping on the home farm, caring for families and as an assistant at the Amery Clinic.

She married Oliver Kolstad on May 8, 1948, at East Immanuel Lutheran Church and moved two miles from her home farm to the Kolstad farm, where she was a farmer's wife and homemaker. Two children were born: Terry and Diane. A devoted mother, she supported her children throughout their years in school and in 4-H; and she was delighted to be blessed with a granddaughter, Laura. She was an accomplished cook, baker and gardener. She enjoyed sharing her flowers as cut bouquets at church on Sundays and won many ribbons at the annual Bank of New Richmond flower shows. A life-long member of East Immanuel, she made countless hot dishes, salads, cookies and lemon meringue pies for church events. She enjoyed being part of the church ladies' groups, attending monthly circle meetings and serving in the kitchen with her friends.

As Oliver's health declined and then after he passed away, Jeanette worked with Terry on the farm until she broke her arm. Her memory declined, and four and a half years ago she moved to Willow Ridge Healthcare, where she passed away on February 27, 2019, at the age of 98-1/2. The family is deeply grateful to the kind, loving care she received at Willow Ridge.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jens and Minnie Jacobson; her husband, Oliver Kolstad; her brother, Merle Jacobson; her half-sisters, Myrtle Emerson and Margaret Anderson; and her half-brother, Hiram Jacobson. Survivors include son Terry Kolstad; daughter Diane and son-in-law Rex Kiekhoefer; granddaughter Laura and grandson-in-law Cory Haala.

Visitation is at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, March 1, and one hour prior to the funeral. The funeral is at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, at the East Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Amery. Interment will be in the spring at the East Immanuel Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to East Immanuel Lutheran Church or the Alzheimer's Association.