St. Paul Resident Carole Ann Barsness, Retired 3M Human Resources Manager, Dies at 80
Barsness, a nurse turned corporate HR manager who was orphaned at 12, died August 25; visitation is set for September 10 in Saint Paul.
By Yasmin Farouk ·
Carole Ann Barsness, a longtime Saint Paul resident whose career took her from hospital wards to 3M plants around the world, died Monday, August 25, 2025. She was 80.
Public visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Willwerscheid Funeral Home, 1167 Grand Ave. in Saint Paul. Burial will follow Thursday, September 11, at 1 p.m. at Kenyon Cemetery in Kenyon, Minnesota.
Barsness was born in St. Paul on June 19, 1945, and grew up near the small town of Brownton, Minnesota. She was orphaned at age 12. She graduated from Gibbon High School in 1963 and then entered a nursing program affiliated with Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, where her nursing career began.
After marrying Fred Barsness, she moved with him to Rochester, Minnesota, where she worked at Methodist Hospital. The couple later settled in Kenyon following the birth of their daughter, Lane. There, Barsness took a job at Kenyon Sunset Nursing Home.
She later changed careers and joined 3M as a human resources manager, working first in Northfield and then in St. Paul. The role sent her to many of the company's manufacturing plants worldwide, where she helped with their openings and closings. She also earned a bachelor's degree from Metro State University in St. Paul. Barsness retired in 2000.
Her obituary describes her as someone with a strong, independent spirit. She enjoyed quilting, stained glass and a range of other crafts. A keen interest in antiques led her into auction houses, where she made many friends. For years she hosted spring and fall antique yard sales with those friends at her home on Summit Avenue. She also traveled widely, both within the United States and abroad.
Barsness was preceded in death by her parents, John and Clara Kelm. She is survived by her daughter, Lane Barsness. Her life partner, Jerry Rehnke, along with many friends and other family members, will miss her greatly.
