- Date Of Birth: December 9, 1931
- Date Of Death: August 30, 2020
- State: Minnesota
Barbara Carolyn Deck Age 88 passed away peacefully with her children by her side on Sunday August 30, 2020 in Hackensack, MN.
Barbara’s journey of life began December 9, 1931 in Duluth, MN to Roy and Esther (Tabor) Pearson. She was the third of four children…. two older brothers Donald and Paul Pearson and sister Susan (Pearson) Hansen. Barbara met Thomas Charles Deck at the roller rink in Duluth at the age of 19. They married in 1952 at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Two Harbors. They lived with her parents upstairs before moving to a home in Duluth. Tom and Barb were blessed with 3 children…. Sherry and Terry born in Duluth and Tom born in St. Paul. They moved from Duluth to the east side of St. Paul in 1956 and then built their first home also on the east side in 1957 where they raised their children. Barbara worked nights at Snyder’s Drug store in Sun Ray Shopping Center until she went to work at 3M in 1969.
She was with them for 11 years as a proofreader for their international accounting department and other positions within the company. She was blessed with long lasting friendships from 3M and also their neighborhood on 6th Street. They had many neighborhood parties of all kinds and remained good friends with some for over 60 years! They moved to Lake Elmo, MN in 1971 where they had built a home. They became members of Guardian Angels Catholic Church where she looked forward to Easter and Christmas’s beautiful services with her family. In 1977 Barbara received news that no mother wants to ever hear ….. her son Terry had passed away in a car accident and left a huge hole in her heart!
Barbara enjoyed camping trips, snowmobiling, canoeing, boating and testing her luck at the casinos with friends. Pontoon rides, Cheers to yet another day in paradise, watching everyone come to her dock to swim and enjoy the lake. She had a special place in her heart for the beauty of Lake Superior which brought her peace and comfort as she loved to visit with her family. She also loved animals of any kind and took in many strays, playing Phase 10, Smear or SkipBo were her favorites and especially she enjoyed skipping Skip which he did not! Lol. She became a loving grandmother in 1976 followed by two more grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She loved her hugs and snuggles from them all and they ALWAYS put a smile on her face! She had the kindest heart and was always there when you needed anything! Barbara loved sharing what she had including her Dove chocolates.
She totally enjoyed having themed tea parties and painting nails with her girls in the family especially the great-granddaughters! She referred many times to her grandson as Geek Squad as she once again was stuck, locked out or who knows what of her computer and got quite a charge out of calling him for it. She enjoyed playing Dr Mario with her grandsons and son and secretly practiced and could beat them at times which put a smile on her face. She never missed going to the State Fair with family or a Fourth of July fireworks celebration. She loved celebrating birthdays and ALWAYS remembered you with a card and a gift. She was a caring and loving person who loved to shop, treating you out for lunch, fall drives in the classic old cars and qualifying for a prize of being the longest married couple at weddings.
They were married 64 years when Skip passed away. These past four years have been spending time with family, visits to home (Two Harbors) to visit her brother Ribs and spend time with her sister Susan. She loved the visits, the phone calls from family and friends and the prayers from her sister. She was ready to make peace with the Lord and see her loved ones that have gone before her. She will be dearly missed by all who have yet to join her.
Barbara is preceded in death by her son Terry Deck, husband Thomas (Skip) Deck, parents Roy and Esther Pearson, her brothers Paul and Donald Pearson and many dear friends and family. She is survived by her sister Susan and brother-in-law Bruce Hansen, daughter Sherry and son-in-law Neil Toenjes, son Thomas Deck, 3 grandchildren Jeremiah and Christine Toenjes, Matthew and Taya Toenjes, Barbara and Corey Romundstad and 10 great grandchildren and nieces and nephews and cousins.
Thank you to all who prayed for her, visited her, hospice nurses and all who assisted with her care. It all meant a great deal to her during her last months. We’re blessed to have had her as long as we did and she knew she was blessed too and was ready to leave our world and start her new journey and enter HIS.
