Christee Jo Enquist, age 67, of Gary, SD, passed away Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at the Hendricks Hospital in Hendricks, MN. Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby, MN. Visitation will be Friday, May 1, 2026 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby, MN and will resume Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Grandview Cemetery in Gary, SD. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby is entrusted with the arrangements.
Christee Jo (Simonton) Enquist was born March 22, 1959 to Donald and Marie (Keimig) Simonton in Clear Lake, South Dakota. She was raised in Gary, SD where she received her education, graduating from Gary High School in 1977. During high school she began working at Shady Beach Supper Club on Lake Cochrane where she started waitressing before becoming a cook. Christee also ran a daycare in Gary, SD. Although she was not a mother, she nurtured and cared for countless children with warmth, patience and love for four decades. She was united in marriage to Doug Enquist on September 25, 1993. They made their home in Gary, SD where she continued her daycare and worked for Shady Beach Supper Club. When Shady Beach closed, she began working as a cook at the Stateline Bar and Grill on Lake Cochrane. When her health began to decline, Christee made the decision to retire. She enjoyed playing cards, board games with family and friends, cooking for anybody and loved her daycare children.
She is survived by her mother Marie Simonton; four brothers: Scott (Lisa) Simonton, Drew (Sheryl) Simonton, Rick (Deanna) Simonton and Dalton (Sarah) Simonton; nieces and nephews: Trista, Traci (Mike), Torey, Jaime, Jason, Kaylee (Dan), Alex, Bryon and Kimberly; great nephews: Emmett, William, Charlie and Beau; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and shared a special bond with her aunt Karen and cousin Ruth, both of whom brought great joy and companionship to her life. Christee was preceded in death by her husband Doug and father Donald.
