DeEtte "Dee" Gesar

DeEtte “Crazy Grandma Dee” Gesar

DeEtte “Dee” Gesar, 83, put the bow on a well-lived life on Friday April 10.

Born DeEtte Dorothy Wickland to Kenneth and DeEtte Wickland in Minneapolis, Minnesota May 6th of 1943; she came out kicking and never stopped. She did things her way, and she didn’t care what anyone had to say about it.

To name a few, she was a factory worker, a machinist, a welder, a bartender, a cook, and a stylish landscaper. She was a Diet Coke shareholder, or at least she should have been by now. She was a gambler and a smoker in her younger years and the best one-line comedian on either side of the Mississippi. And she was a nemesis to any authority figure that tried to tell her what to do.

She was also a tender caretaker, teacher, and nanny to her grandchildren (all 12, but especially her 3 favorites); and an icon to her 8 great grandkids. She was a mother to Doug (Cindi), Denise, Debbie (Dan) Peterson, and Darcey (Jenny) Langen; and a dog-mom to Lily. A sister to Bruce (Marge) Wickland, Glen (Sue) Wickland, and Larry (Sandy) Wickland. A friend to many, always there with a smile and a laugh. And she was a best friend, partner, and wife to her husband Bill for 63 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter Megan Peterson, brother Larry Wickland, and his wife Sandy.

Her family will be holding a private service to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her name to the Coulee Region Humane Society.

We’d all be lucky to live as much, even if not for as long, as Crazy Grandma Dee.