DeAnn Marie Whebbe age 69 of West St. Paul passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on February 21st. Dee, AKA Deeder, Auntie Dee, Mrs. Gaddafi or Tuffy, will be deeply missed by all whose lives she blessed. This spirited and loving woman was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, and adoring friend to many. She was funny, sassy, deeply loyal, altruistic, and above all kind. She loved her happy hours, garden clubs, and dinner parties and just about any gathering of friends and family.

A Tomboy long before it was fashionable, DeAnn was born on April 3rd,1950, to Robert and Roseanne Hesse of White Bear Lake, the second of 4 children. As the only girl among her roughhousing brothers, she was petite and sweet but she could still give her brothers a black eye in her ruffled dresses if she needed to. She moved to Saint Paul after high school and worked at Qwest (then Northwestern Bell) where she met her future husband James when she toppled out of a charter bus bathroom into his seat during a company ski trip. She enjoyed her work at the phone company over her 45 year career there and made many lifelong and deeply cherished friendships. As a working woman, young wife and mother to James Jr. and Sarah, DeAnn also chose to gracefully fill the role of primary caregiver for her husband and would remain devoted to his care over his 30 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She was truly her family's superhero on a daily basis for many years.

She was frugal (still used a microwave from the 1980's) and claimed she could use Duct Tape to fix anything. She danced to the music playing over loudspeakers in stores. She was fiercely competitive but often declined to join her family in board games, preferring to watch and beat you in her mind instead.  She was once kicked out of the state of Idaho for indecency but swore she was just sleep deprived. She sought out the furthest spaces in a parking lot, claiming the location made for an easier get-away (from the scene of her dancing in store aisles probably).

Join in the celebration of this wonderful woman on Monday March 2nd, 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Johnson Peterson Funeral Home, 2130 2nd St, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. In lieu of flowers, please hug a loved one and take a moment to express the value they bring to your life. Memorial contributions may be made to Second Harvest Heartland.