Deanna Radi died on July 6, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Home in Stillwater, MN. She was 83 years old having been born June 19, 1937. Her parents, Elizabeth and John Velthuizen and siblings, Betty Erck and Lorraine Labarre, preceded her death.
She met the love of her life when Earl Radi caught her eye, then her heart. They married when she was one month shy of seventeen. They raised three children (Janice, John and Jim) and loved fifty-eight years on this earth until Earl's death March 28, 2013.
Deanna had a sharp mind and proud of her ability handling numbers. This aided her success in managing rental properties and later an in-home daycare center. Her innate sense of welcome, caring and of home were a mainstay. She was known for her home-cooked meals. Her love of trying or tweaking new recipes was shared with her daughter until she could no longer see to cook or bake. Deanna made Christmas cookies for each daycare family every year; she learned cake decorating and made the wedding cakes for each of her children. Although there was a lot of prep work to making a family favorite, egg foo young, it wasn't hers. Earl's fishing success was celebrated with great fish fries. Deanna kept a fully stocked pantry and large freezer to ensure readiness for company. Until failing health kept her from the stove, care providers and the taxman were given homemade brittle as thank you's.
After Earl passed away, Deanna remained active with her family and friends playing card games that would start in early afternoon and continue until early in the morning. As her eye sight diminished, she was given various lights and card holders to aid her in playing. With friends she loved to listen to music at the Little Canada VFW every other Friday.
Deanna passed away with her daughter by her side. Mourning her are three children: Janice (Gary) Klinefelter, John (Bonnie) Radi, Jim (Tami) Radi, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, plus many nieces, nephews and countless friends and families touched by Deanna's hands-on caring. She remained close to her daycare charges; attended their graduations, weddings and was visited by their children. In the last year of her life she said she wanted to be the daycare provider to God.

Special thanks to the Staff of Stillwater Good Samaritan who provided loving care during her last 2 years and heartful thanks to Lakeview Hospice who guided and supported her and the family through her end of the Journey . In lieu of flowers, donations to Lakeview Hospice.

Here is Eric's letter about Grandma:
My fondest memories of my grandmother was our  fish frys. The family would get together at her place and have a big fish fry then we would sit down after dinner and play cards. She did like playing cards after a big meal on Saturday nights.
She was also big into baking. When we would go over to her place for dinner she would have some sort of dessert that she had baked.
During her downtime she loved gardening.