Janna Marie (Goll) Schill was the kind of person who made every holiday feel warmer, remembered even the smallest details of your life, and was always the first person to ask you about you.
Born May 8, 1978, in Ellendale, N.D., Janna was the youngest of three daughters born to Jerry and Elaine (Sattler) Goll. Having grown up in Williston, N.D., Janna moved to Grand Forks for college in the late 1990s. Janna loved her family, calling herself a wife, mom, aunt, and sister was the greatest joy in her life.
Janna was most proud of her children – Megan (20), Claire (18), and Michael (16) – and she loved sharing their accomplishments with the world. Her own legacy will live on in the countless cherished moments she shared with her children and the lives she helped them build.
Janna married Mark Schill in Grand Forks in 2002, shortly after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in clinical laboratory science from the University of North Dakota, where she and Mark met. The daughter of two educators, Janna was inspired to become an educator herself, earning two master’s degrees and finishing with a Ph.D. in 2012. She spent more than 20 years as an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science at UND, where she helped grow the program and advised hundreds of students over the years. She loved seeing a “light-bulb” moment on a tough subject and was proud of her many former students who went on to become exceptional medical laboratory scientists and physicians.
Outside of the classroom, she made a difference by serving on a number of university committees, including the University Senate, Intercollegiate Athletic, Accreditation, Student Academic Standards, Curriculum, and Honors Program Committees. She spent several years as a member of a national committee for her professional association, traveling around the country and helping other university programs maintain accreditation.
Janna was very involved with the Grand Forks and North Dakota swimming community. For much of the 2010s she was a “go-to” administrative official in the state, and served on the state governing board for many years. She helped run the local Wahoos swim club and was known to come down from the stands to assist with swim meets in other communities if needed. Janna also was the official statistician for the UND men’s and women’s hockey teams for several years.
For nearly 15 years, Janna faced unimaginable health challenges with unwavering strength and resilience. Through countless surgeries, extended hospital stays, and the complications of ongoing treatment, she remained devoted to her family as they did to her.
Even in the hardest moments, Mark stood by her side and Janna’s children grew up witnessing their mother’s courage, tenacity, and love. Despite years of pain and uncertainty, Janna embraced life with determination, never letting her struggles define her. Her journey was one of deep love, perseverance, and bonding with those who mattered most.
Janna is survived by her husband Mark; three children, Megan, Claire, and Michael Schill; father Jerry Goll of Walker, Minn.; and sisters Jeannette (Brent) Haugen of Harwood, N.D. and JoDee (Blaine) Bjella of Mesa, Ariz. She is also survived by father- and mother-in-law Ken and Mary Jo Schill of Grand Forks, N.D.; brothers-in-law Dan (Jessica) Schill of Harrisonburg, Va. and Matt (Shawna) Schill of Grand Forks, N.D.; along with six nieces and nephews Brady, Blake, and Brandon Bjella, Elaina Haugen, and Ellie and Bennett Schill. She was preceded in death by her mother Elaine (Sattler) Goll and her grandparents Edwin and Florence Goll and Frank and Ramona Sattler.
A visitation for Janna will be held on Wednesday, March 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Amundson Funeral Home in Grand Forks with a celebration of her life at 7 p.m. A funeral will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Grand Forks on Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m. A visitation will be held before the service and a reception will be held after in the Church basement.
In lieu of flowers, cash donations will be used for a memorial sponsorship at the new Grand Forks aquatics facility. An online register book may be signed at www.amundsonfuneralhome.com