Kristin “Kris” Jean Tollefson Fuchs passed away on Dec. 11, 2024.  She was born on Jan. 5, 1968, and grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Starbuck.  Even though her life took her away from the farm, she loved it, especially her two horses—Charlie and Teardrop. Her childhood showcased her creativity and kindness; she had a talent for art (chalk drawings still hang in the family home), singing as a member of a local high school choral group and balanced her dependable nature with humor, as seen in moments like cleverly outwitting a haggling customer at the family’s sweet corn stand.

In her teenage years, Kris worked at the Starbuck Dairy Queen and later as a bank teller. She was passionate about volleyball, playing competitively in high school. She also earned the title of Pope County Dairy Princess, representing her connection to the farm and community. After graduating from Starbuck High School in 1986, she attended Concordia College in Moorhead, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1990 in Business Communications.

Post-college, Kris moved to Minneapolis and began her 25-year career with Marriott, starting in the event planning department and eventually becoming part of a team developing computer based internal training programs. This training development position required a relocation to Marriott headquarters, and so in 1995, she moved to Arlington, Va. All the while living in big cities and participating in social groups, such as the Hash House Harriers (ON-ON), she always kept an eye towards the family farm. Often bringing others there to experience the lifestyle and even convincing her friends to come there and to her hometown for her wedding in 2003.

After retiring from Marriott, Kris focused entirely on service to her family. For her daughters, coaching and assisting with volleyball, supporting their involvement in soccer and volunteering at the middle school store. She balanced her parenting with a mix of flexibility and firmness. For her parents, when her mother began declining in health, Kris frequently traveled back to Starbuck to support her father over the last 12 years. For her brother, when the family moved to Fairfax, Va., in 2014 from Denver, Colo., Kris warmly welcomed and assisted in their transition, cherishing the closeness of family life.

Kris will be remembered as a dutiful daughter, loving mother, devoted sister, caring friend, avid reader and movie buff. She embodied creativity, humor and strength, leaving a lasting legacy through her family, her community.

Kris is survived by her husband of 21 years, Brian Fuchs of Vienna, Va.; her daughters, Rowan Anne Fuchs, currently studying in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Erin Melanie Fuchs of Vienna, Va.; her dad, David Tollefson of Starbuck; her sister, Karen Smith (Steve) of Stillwater; and her brother and family, Kevin Tollefson (Lanine Baccam, Satri, Soren) of Frankfurt, Germany.

Viewing / visitation will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 (Kris’ birthday) at Money and King Funeral Home, Vienna, Va. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025,  at 1 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Vienna, Va.

As an alternative to flowers, donations in Kris’ name  can be made to the Pope County (MN) Humane Society (https://pchsmn.org/), United Way of Douglas and Pope Counties (MN) (https://uwdp.org/) or Susan G Komen for the cure (https://www.komen.org/).