Ada – Derek “Deke” or “The Duke” passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Ada.
Derek Paul Forsell was born in Gary, MN, on November 15, 1941, to Edward and Bernice (Stundahl) Forsell.
After a whirlwind romance and short engagement, he married JoAnn (“Jo” “JoZina” “JZ”) Herrmann on October 28, 1961, at Grace Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. His wife was born Zina Safranauskaite on June 10, 1939, in Marijampole, Lithuania. Derek grew up on a farm outside of Gary, helping his father with his horse business. As he reminded his grandkids on numerous occasions, “I drove a trailer full of horses from Minnesota to Nebraska when I was 15 years old!” He was confirmed at Gary Lutheran Parish in 1956, and collected Perfect Attendance awards every year for Sunday School, which he also reminded his grandkids of! After graduating from Gary High School, where he was active in sports and music, Derek attended Mayville State University. Deke and Jo settled with their family in Newfolden, where he worked at Marshall County State Bank, and served on the town council and school board. In January 1972, he and Jo purchased a downtown building and opened the original “Hobo Haus,” which they owned and operated until June of 1979. Deke and Jo had many friends in Newfolden, and some of the best played alongside him on the Hobo Haus slow pitch softball and basketball teams. In 1977, he took a position with United Fire Group as a marketing representative and underwriter for the state of Minnesota. This brought another relocation to Braham and eventually the Twin Cities area. He truly enjoyed his job and the people he worked with during his 33-year career and beyond. He and Jo had the great fortune to do a lot of traveling in the US and abroad while he was employed with them. His most memorable trips were being in Germany as the Berlin Wall was being taken down and his trip to Czechoslovakia.
Derek was an avid golfer, motorcycle rider, and continued to love music, whether singing karaoke or introducing his grandkids to “good” music. One of his best traits was his sense of humor, rarely a conversation was held that didn’t include laughter. If the weather was nice, and often even when it wasn’t, Deke could be found on the golf course. He was especially fond of his annual golf outings with his college friends and weekend tournaments, and an unforgettable round on the Old Course in Scotland in 1995. The year 2000 was a great year on the links, when he got two (2!) holes-in-one at Willingers (Northfield) and Breckenridge (Colorado).
In August of 2009, Derek suffered a motorcycle accident in Sturgis, SD. Despite a dire prognosis including a crushed pelvis, he was determined to literally get back on his feet and on the golf course, which he successfully accomplished the following year and went on to complete 70 rounds in 2010. His later years brought him full circle back to northern Minnesota, where he lived at Twin Valley and Ada, reconnecting with old friends and extended family. Deke rekindled relationships with local family members who stepped in with compassion and dedication to care for him and JoAnn, a kindness for which his daughters are deeply thankful for.
In his own words, “As usual, JZ and I have the most fun in the friends we make along the way.” Deke spoke of his own death with characteristic humility and grace, often saying “when I tip over,” and wished most of all to be remembered as a man who lived, and loved, “A Lucky Life” so in his memory, raise a glass, share a laugh, and leave a big tip.
Derek is survived by his wife, JoAnn; daughters, Stacia Russell (Charley Lieving) and Tatia Kennedy (Terence); his grandchildren: Steven (Kathryn), Kathleen (Luke), Samuel (Jordan), Jared, and Nathan; and nine great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Life Graveside Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Wild Rice Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Twin Valley. Please feel free to sign the guestbook, send condolences and view other opportunities which may be available on the website.
Arrangements are entrusted to Anderson Family Funeral Home of Twin Valley. www.andersonfamilyfh.com
Derek “Deke” Forsell, 84
