Deanna L. Stephenson, age 76, of Canby, MN, passed away Sunday, December 22, 2024 at the Sylvan Court Nursing Home in Canby. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2025 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby, MN with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Canby, MN. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby, MN is entrusted with the arrangements.
Deanna Lynn (Kraft) Stephenson was born on December 16, 1948, to Gordon and Edna (Burmeister) Kraft. She was raised on a farm outside of Canby MN. She attended a small one room country school just down the road from the farm. When they closed the country school, she attended Canby High School and graduated in 1966. After graduating she worked as a nurse’s aid in the Ivanhoe MN hospital. She meet David Stephenson and they were married on September 19, 1970. They were blessed with two children: Roxanne and Michael. They purchased the one room schoolhouse where Deanna went to school and made it their home to raise the family. Deanna worked as a secretary in the Canby High School district office for several years. When David started his own mechanic garage “Dave’s Auto Repair” Deanna took on the book work and record keeping. She also worked as the meal site manager for the Senior’s meals at the Canby Community Center. Deanna enjoyed flowers and gardening, the family site had a large garden and several apple trees and some pear trees. Deanna would freeze and can the produce for the winter and passed on the process her daughter. After David retired and sold the shop, Deanna got into beading and jewelry making. She was proud of the jewelry she made. David and Deanna would also make Belgian cookies and lefsa around the holiday times. There could be a table full of containers with cookies in to give to friends and relatives.
Deanna is survived by her daughter, Roxanne (Ernest Jr) Rosa and her son Michael Stephenson, two granddaughters’: Ashlyn Stephenson and Amanda Rosa, two great-granddaughter’s Natasha and Holly Olivas, a half brother Lawrence Kraft and two sister’s-in-law: Diane Henrickson and Linda Hans, and several nieces and nephews. Deanna is preceded in death by her husband David, her parents and two half-sisters’: Rosemarie Nomeland and Merlaine (Ainy) Talyor.
