Deanna Jean Kessler graced our world with her presence on August 13, 1961.

Born a curly-haired redhead with freckles, the youngest of 5 children, to Wilfred and Mary Ann Kessler of Mitchell, South Dakota.

Deanna spent her childhood in Mitchell, a simple small town, learning to bake from her mother and the magic of sowing seeds from her father.

As a teenager she worked at The Brigg restaurant before attending tech school and landing a job at St. Joesph's Hospital in Mitchell, as a lab technician.

Deanna became a mother to 3 children. Her beloved daughter, Rachele Maas and cherished sons, Zachary Walters and Nicholas Walters.

In 1991, she left the snowy plains of South Dakota and set out to follow her own "Desert Dream" of living in Arizona. Along the way, she spent 3 years in Wyoming before she traveled on to Tucson.

Tucson and its mountains had called to Deanna since she was little. She remembered a happy time there as a child before she lost her sister Mary Lee to a terrible car accident. She held that wonderful memory in her heart and made plans to some day call the desert her "home sweet home".

Tucson became all she had hoped it would be. She began cultivating a life that brought her happiness in simple, meaningful ways.

Deanna loved to cook and often tried new and outlandish recipes, inviting her family to try them too. She had many favorites recipes, a lot of them came from her days in 4H Club.

Her backyard garden became a sacred spot to spend her days. With the sunshine on her shoulders, she wandered, watched, and waited as each new seedling began to sprout and every new bud begin to bloom.

Deanna could tell you the names of every plant in her yard and where they came from. Often times, she would scavenge seeds from plants on the side of the road. She tilled her garden as she tended her life, with compassion and with a conscious, coexisting belief toward all living things.

Feeding the birds and bees, she officially created a sanctuary for wildlife in her own yard.

After working in the medical field as a lab tech, she landed a job to develop and support medical software in hospitals across the country. In her spare time she enjoyed mystery shopping.

Deanna's true joys in life were happy moments with her family and with her spoiled pups who never left her side. Moo, Amber, Puffin, Lucy, Dot, Charles and her baby Ellie.

Deanna will be lovingly remembered as an incredible "Nani" to her grandkids Quinten Kessler, Aubrey Maas, Justin Maas and Jacob Maas. Her youngest grandson Henry lovingly called her "Grandma Dee". She would often visit him in Virgina.

Deanna was thrilled to learn she would soon become a "Nani" again to a granddaughter, due June 2025, who she helped to name, Aurora.

Deanna will be celebrated and remembered by her family, friends and colleagues for the sweet nature that was in essence, her soul.

Deanna led her life with a humble and quiet example of kindness that spoke loudly to all of those lucky enough to witness it. Her light was contagious to be around. She embodied a space of softness that is rare to posses.

Deanna Jean Kessler, our beloved Mother, Mother in Law, Nani, Grandma, Sister, Aunt and Friend, made her journey just as the birds began to sing and the sun started to rise over the mountains of Tucson, AZ, on the morning of December 24th, 2024.

She takes with her, our love.

She leaves us, with hers.

She is missed, greatly.