DeAnna 1974 - 2015

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This Dedication is a testament to the remarkable spirit of DeAnna — her laughter, her curiosity, her courage, and her compassion. Within these pages you will travel from the bright spring morning of her birth through the milestones of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, and into the legacy she inspires today. May her story remind us all of the beauty of a single life lived fully.

The Day She Was Born

On a warm spring morning in National City, California—May 28, 1974—our lives shifted forever. The breeze off the bay carried the scent of flowering jacaranda trees as we made our way to the hospital. Inside, sunlight filtered through pale green curtains, and with Deanna’s first breathtaking cry—strong and clear—our daughter arrived. Light hair damp against her brow, she opened her eyes wide as if seeing the world for the very first time. Holding her, I was overwhelmed by the miracle of her tiny fingers curling around mine and by the smile that flickered on her lips, as though she already knew she was loved beyond measure.

The Bunny on the Stairs

That October evening, Deanna—barely three—dressed as a bunny princess, surveyed the neighborhood from the top porch step. Through my vintage Brownie camera’s viewfinder, I watched her shuffle forward, clutching her pumpkin basket. In an instant she tumbled down the stairs in a cascade of floppy ears and cotton tail. I hesitated, still filming, until my wife’s sharp voice broke through: “Stop the camera! Help her!” Rushing to her side, I found her dusting off a leaf, tears vanishing into a triumphant grin. A few days later, we labored over her pronunciation of “girl,” celebrating her first clear “giiiiirl!” that echoed her indomitable spirit.

Becoming Big Sister

In April 1977, when Deanna was three, her brother Brian arrived. Initially fascinated, she soon felt the pangs of shared attention. One afternoon, “helping” meant pushing Brian’s buggy around the house until she couldn’t find it. When asked, she pointed to a closed spare bedroom—“out of sight, out of mind.” Laughing together as we found him safe in his crib, we taught her that babies need arms, voices, and time. She listened, then threw her arms around Brian, declaring, “I’ll keep you safe, baby brother.”

Summer Evenings at the Park

From 1983 to 1988, after work and classes, we drove to our local park at dusk. Deanna and Brian played on swings and monkey bars while I—college textbooks in my lap—studied by dashboard light. One evening I called them to leave, started the car, and saw Deanna outside the locked passenger door, terrified by the engine’s roar. I let her in, and she glared, cross‑armed, then growled in mock revenge, “I will pay for that.” Laughter followed, and she whispered, “Okay… but next time, warn me!”

The Bogey Bunny

For her birthday, I presented Deanna a three‑foot fluffy bunny named Mr. Hops. She hugged it fiercely and placed it in her room’s corner—until, at night, it looked like the bogeyman hiding in the dark. Troubled, she asked me to remove it. I tucked Mr. Hops behind the couch, and her relief was instant. Later, we repurposed him to Brian’s room, where Deanna would pat him kindly: “Good job guarding Brian.”

The Shaving Cream Revolt

On the last day of middle school, a few classmates smuggled shaving‑cream cans onto the bus. What began as harmless squirts escalated to a white‑foam battlefield. Deanna, shrieking then laughing, smeared a friend’s cheek before the driver quelled the chaos. By the time she climbed off at home, she was stiff with dried suds but glowing with delight. After a warm bath, she declared, “Best. Day. Ever.”

Friday Night Tag Football

In high school, Deanna joined the coed tag‑football league. With “sticky fingers,” she darted through drills, snagging flags with lightning reflexes. Family ritual became cheering from bleachers under floodlights, hot chocolate in hand. In the championship game, she intercepted a pass at the ten‑yard line and sprinted into the end zone for the winning touchdown. Her teammates hoisted her on their shoulders; I watched with tears—for her victory and for the fearless, joyful leader she had become.

A New Beginning in Lowell

In 1989, at fifteen, Deanna moved from Wheeling, Illinois, to Lowell, Indiana. She navigated a new high school with determination—joining robotics, art electives, and the school paper. Unpacking her lavender‑painted room, she hosted her first Lowell friend, Marisol, for sketching sessions. By autumn, hallways felt familiar, strangers had become friends, and Deanna’s curiosity and creativity anchored her in this new chapter.

Purdue Extension in Merrillville

In 1995, after moving to Lowell, Deanna and her mother enrolled at Purdue University North Central in Merrillville. In small lecture halls, she thrived. Evenings brought home‑cooked meals, study sessions, and occasional ice‑cream runs in Merrillville. By year’s end, Deanna’s confidence, empathy, and writer’s voice had deepened in this intimate academic community.

New Beginnings and Hidden Battles

In 1996, our family relocated to Sacramento. Deanna, twenty‑two, worked as a baker’s assistant at WinCo. Developing epileptic Seizures shook her world; concentration at American River College became a struggle. Undeterred, she adapted her study habits—recording lectures, color‑coding assignments, and sketching neural pathways. In 2005 she married a coworker; their five‑year marriage, full of joys and challenges, ended amicably around 2010. That same year, she found new purpose catering at a local casino, balancing trays of quiches and chocolate‑dipped strawberries with grace.

A Life Remembered

Sadly, On April 27, 2015, following many silent struggles DeAnna ended her life. Her funeral at Davis Arboretum Cemetery in Davis, California, was held under a clear spring sky. Over a hundred friends, family, and coworkers gathered for a brief Bahá’í memorial. They spoke of her fierce laughter, her boundless generosity, and the warmth she shared with everyone she met. Beneath an oak’s sturdy branches, we laid her to rest—and felt her spirit take wing to the Abha Kingdom of the All-Glorious .

Epilogue: Deanna’s Organics

In 2019, to honor her memory, we founded Deanna’s Organics on 2½ sun‑warmed acres in Bishopville, South Carolina. Growing over a dozen vegetable varieties, the farm donates 90% of its crops to local food banks and families in need. Every harvest carries forward Deanna’s compassion—feeding bodies and uplifting hearts. In rows of tomatoes and tender beans, her light endures, rooted deep in the soil and blossoming in the smiles of all who share in her legacy.