Dear Kurt and family,

I am so sorry for your loss. I can't begin to express my feelings and love for Deanne. How grateful and lucky I am that you were so willing to share your wife and mom with me.  She truly exemplified everything a friend should be.  

I don't know if you know that we meet about 16 years ago when she was assigned to be my visiting teacher.  And what a blessing.  She became like a sister to me.  She taught me to be a friend to those I visit taught. What started out as Visiting teaching visits became a long and special friendship.  

Deanne did so many things for so many people that I'm sure she didn't even tell her family.  So I want to share a few of those things she did for me so you all know some of them.  

In April 2001 my 33 year old sister passed away. I went to Vegas for a week to make arrangements for her kids and the funeral.  I didn't know how I could take a week off and how I would handle it financially and emotionally.  I was working 1 full time job and 2 part time jobs to make ends meet.  When I returned as I entered my house I knew Deanne had been there.  The cupboards were full of groceries, there was a hot meal ready and a bouquet of flowers on the table.  Deanne had left a note offering to do anything else I needed.  But so like Deanne she had already done everything without being asked.  I got through the next few weeks with Deanne making many caring calls just to inquire how I was and let me know someone else shared my pain. Deanne helped get me through this time.

Another time that is a HUGE memory for me and my kids was Christmas (I think 1999, or 2000). Kurt and Deanne rescued me, more than they can imagine. JJ, Jackie, Jordan, Kip and John I want you to know that I can never repay what your Mom and Dad did for me that Christmas.
I was living on the corner of Sidewinder and Comstock. We had been living there for a few months.  We had recently moved from SunValley, Id.  Circumstances were such that I had to leave everything I owned in storage units there, or in the rental we had been living in.  We were sleeping on the floor, eating at the kitchen counters, and using a igloo for food. Everything was in Idaho.  I couldn't afford to go get anything and thought I would lose it all.  The things that were the most heartbreaking were the scrapbooks, homemade blankets from grandmas, pictures, a life time of memories those kind of things that can't be replaced.    
Anyway on the 23rd of Dec.a big U-haul pulls in to the driveway. Kurt was driving.  He had gone to SunValley and pickup up all my stuff.  Many ward members arrived along with Deanne and unloaded that U-haul, put beds together, made beds, filled cupboards and even brought in a Christmas tree.  
I can't even begin to describe how happy the kids were.  How embarrassed and happy I was.  As I reminisce about that time it still makes me cry.  I can't believe there are such wonderful and good people in this world. And I really can't explain how that Christmas changed my life and made me want to be just like Kurt and Deanne. For my kids it was a Christmas where they had thought life couldn't get any worse and it ended up being a joyous and wonderful holiday.

Deanne could always do these kind of things and make the recipient (me) not feel stupid. She just radiated love and gave service everywhere she went.

I have many more stories of fun and happy times Deanne and I shared. I loved being able to think about them.

I know Deanne has probably already got a service project planned up in heaven. She is teaching the inactive and less fortunate how to live the gospel so they can spend eternity with their loved ones just like she will.   She is so busy being that wonderful friend and helping others that she is smiling and radiating goodness for everyone to see. I sure will miss Deanne.

Your family has been in my thoughts and prayers constantly this week.  May the Lord be with you and watch over all of you in the coming weeks,
Kelly   

Dear Family,

        We have fond memories of meeting your family coming from Ghana to spend Christmas in the Holy Land with us.

      Deanne & Kurt & family along with Sally M.’s family coming from Ghana area. We all met in Israel to tour the Holy Land. As tour directors Jim & Diane M. we remember the great spirit you brought to our tour.  It was a Christmas to remember, Old City of Jerusalem, Garden Tomb and testimony’s, Mount Tabor,  Sacrament meeting and ordination.  Bethlehem area and Cave, our group Christmas program.

Our thoughts and prayer are with your family,

Love,

James & Diane M.

I  met Deanne  in February 2004, when I spent a few days in Accra for training with the Africa Area Office. I was immediately struck by her warmth and vitality. She embraced life and made me want to do the same.  I think of how industrious she was - you just needed to cast a glance over the Krieger home in Accra to see that she didn't waste her time. I still have a bag that she made out of typical Ghana fabric She helped women in her ward make loads of bags  so that they could sell them, to learn independence. While we were visiting, she got us making pretty decorations out of glass beads - we could have just sat and chatted the afternoon away. Instead, we came away having created something worthwhile (and we chatted too of course!)
Deanne  was bright and funny and charming and I was sorry I did not have the opportunity to spend more time in her company, but I am grateful for the short time I did have. As I think of her example, I want to focus more on the positive, I want to complain a little less and love a little more. I want to spend more time on worthwhile endeavours and less time on frivolous things. I want to be a little bolder in expressing what I know to be true.
How blessed we are to know of  the Plan of Salvation; to know that absences, however painful, are but temporary.

Pam M

I only knew Deanne a few years, but she touched me deeply and changed my life for the better.  Deanne was one of the 12 law school friends of my husband, DAve Colton.  I joined the group late as a "graftee" because Dave and I were married later in life following very sad divorces for both of us.  I came to the group a little unsure of myself, but Deanne, with her warm smile and direct, kind gaze helped me feel welcome from the first time I met her.  I'll never forget it.   It was at Palm Springs, and although she was not feeling her best, she was so very kind and concerned for me and about me. 

 

During the next five years I have worked to keep in touch with Deanne. Every time I have been in Salt Lake in the past few years since she and Kurt have lived there, I have made a point of going out to lunch with her, going to her scripture study group with her, or having dinner with her and Kurt, sometimes with other friends.  I was purely selfish in this...I always left feeling better about myself.  Deanne, somehow, always made it about me, not about her.  She wanted to make beaded earrings or bracelets for me, she wanted to know all about my family, she was just so precious!  I am so deeply sad....I feel as if I have lost a lifelong friend, when I have only known her so briefly. 

 

Kurt, to you and your beautiful children and grandchildren, I mourn with you at the loss of your lovely wife, mother and grandmother.  She was such a gift to me!  We are all comforted by her goodness...we know where she is and how much happiness she is feeling now.  May the Lord give you the love and comfort you need right now. 

 

I love you, Deanne.

 

Julie C.

Letters

These are a few letters we received in the mail with sweet messages and stories about our mom.  Please feel free to keep sending messages to rememberingdeanne at gmail dot com.

Dear Kurt,
I hope you won't mind Catholic masses being said in honor of your beloved, Deanne.  She told me years ago that she felt our "faiths" had much in common.  I enroll all those whom I love in these masses, and am honored to do so for Deanne.
My life was blessed by knowing your beautiful wife.  I always felt the love and joy of Christ in Deanne.  She was kind enough to go cross country skiing with me once.  I still marvel at her patience and forbearance in trying to help such a challenged athlete!  None of this seemed to matter to Deanne.  I always felt she looked upon me as Christ would.
I hope you will enjoy these pictures taken at Bonnie N.'s home in 2003.  I have saved one for myself.  Deanne will be treasured in my heart and prayers.
I pray that the peace of Christ will overflow in your lives, that He will comfort and heal you, and that you will know the love and pride Deanne has for you as she smiles down upon you from heaven. 
With love and prayers, Arlene



Dear Kurt and family,

I am so sorry that I was unable to attend Deanne's funeral today.  It broke my heart to realize I could not be there.  I know that you had dear family and friends there to support you , but how I wish that I could have been one of those beloved there with you today.
I though that I'd write you a short note to tell you how much I loved Deanne. I knew her since we were little girls.  She was the little sister of my best friend, Jana.  Deanne was not a pesky little sister, though.  She was enthusiastic and so much fun that is was natural to include Deanne in our play activities. I always admired and enjoyed Deanne's upbeat personality.  It was fun to see how popular Deanne was in school and how sweet she was with everyone she came in contact with.
I remember the first time I met you in Utah.  You, with that long wild hair and outgoing personality! You and Steve came to visit in the dead of the Utah winter! I never dreamed then that you adn Deanne would wed and create such a fine and loving family.  I always get a smile on my face when I recall that you met Deanne at my wedding reception.  It was a pleasure to witness the wonderful marriage that resulted in that chance meeting in Grants Pass, Oregon on April 29, 1975!
Deanne had an infectious, wonderful laugh. She had a never ending positive attitude that was contagious.  Even when Deanne was ill with cancer, she made it appear that it was only a mere inconvenience.  Deanne was down to earth and never pretentious with her accomplishments.
You may already know this, but instead of sending flowers to Deanne's funeral, the Stanger family is donating to LDS Philanthropies money in Deanne's name, which is so appropriate considering Deanne's philanthropic service.  Her compassion changed the lives of those women and daughters in Ghana.   How I admire Deanne and the selfless service she provided! what a great example she is to me.
Though we did not see each other often, I always felt and instant bond, or a re-bond every time I was privileged to be with Deanne. It is a wonderful feeling that is hard to explain and a feeling that I share with only a few select friends in this world.  I wish our reunions could have been more frequent throughout the years.  But, C'est la vie, huh?  I smile when I remember good times we spent in Oregon, Washington DC, and Park City.  And by the way, thank you for babysitting Michael when Steve and I attended my sister's wedding in 1981!
I wish that I could have had one more time to talk with Deanne.  Boy did I love that girl! Amongst other points of conversation, I would definitely ask Deanne to give Jana and Al all my love, because I know that they are together waiting for all of us to join them.  Thank goodness for the gospel and the enlightened view we have about our lives here and the hereafter!
I hope to hear form you every now and then, ,eve if it is only a brief email. Please keep in touch!

All my love, Serena

Dear Deanne,

I have been thinking today the irony of the many miles we have traveled together, but we never left Park City.  we never gazed upon European castles, the Roman Coliseum, Great Wall of China, or Mt. Everest together.  Our simple hikes on the trails of Park City through all kinds of weather and punctuated with the occasional "where's Jupiter... here Moose, and Gammmmbit!", have given me cherished and rich memories.  It not only bonded us as friends but brought us together spiritually as we shared our lives, our concerns and our testimonies.  We conquered those skinny skis together and I will never forget those sunny days out on the ski trails and the peace and enjoyment that it brought to us both in our hectic lives.
You have always been such an example of faith to me and not only lead the way so many times on the trail, but lead the way in teaching me the faith and courage that is needed to live this unpredictable life.  You have done it with love, grace, and dignity.
This friendship will never part, although we must be parted in this world for a small time, it will be renewed eternally.  You have shared so much with me and I am eternally grateful that we walked some distance of our lives together.  I shall never forget you, you shall always walk with me, my friend.
love, Nancy


Dear Kurt, Kip, John JJ, Jordan, Jackie, and families,

About two weeks before my dear friend slipped from this earth we were talking on the phone.  She stared to weep, saying she was so frustrated that she was not able to create the stockings for each of you.  It was a highlight for her and was such a fun and joyous time for her, creating each one.  We shared out stocking stories and had a good laugh.  Over the years we shared what we would do and what we would get for stockings. Even when in Ghana we were always on the lookout for a great stocking gift...it's a fun priority to have in life as you travel through this live...stocking stuffer tings.
As we talked on the shone I sincerely volunteered to gather some stocking stuffers for you darlings and send them out.  She was actually relieved at the possibility, agreeing and thanking me!!  So here are the stocking stuffers for you...just imagine that your mother was there with me, helping to pick them out.  And that she also had fun doing it with me.
It has been a bitter sweet December, and I still find it difficult to realize that you sweet wife, mother and my dear friend is no longer among us.  I still talk to her and will find myself going to my phone to call her Something funny, sweet, or challenging with happen and I'll want to share it with her.  Actually, I still do, I just talk to her and laugh and sometimes cry at others.  This life is so good and I'm so very grateful for all the amazing and wonderful memories that I hold with in my minds eye and heart.
I pray that this Christmas will still be joyous and memorable in several different ways.  That your little ones will feel the security and love of family and that the ties from eternity will bind you together at this time.  The gifts from our Savior...comfort, peace and the gift of eternal  life and reunion are real and are there for us, with our seeking of them.

All my love to each of you, always, Lynette



Dear Krieger family,
Deanne has truly been a light and inspiration to me.  Whenever I saw her or talked to her, her attention was always focused on me or on others, not on herself, even when it was apparent she must be feeling terrible.
My husband had also struggled with (and died from) cancer so I was aware of some of the distressing treatments and side effects Deanne must have experienced.  But she never wanted to talk about her illness.  Instead, she sweetly turned the conversation to me and my family and other everyday things.  She also loved to talk about her beloved African Saints.
I have been a Relief Society teacher in our Draper 6th ward for quite a while, and I really appreciated Deanne's comments and the attention she gave me whenever she could be there.  Although her head was covered by a scarf because of her loss of hair, her large dark eyes and intelligent face were so beautiful as she radiated her gratitude and love fro the Gospel.  I am a better person to have known her.
Joan D.


Dear Kurt and family,
Our thoughts and wishes are with you and your families ant this most difficult time.  Deanne was very courageous, as was the whole family, in fighting her disease.  We are sorry that we couldn't have done more.
If there is anything we can do in the future to help, please free to contact us.
Please accept our deepest sympathy on your loss and our thoughts and prayers are with you.
With much sorrow,
C. Reddy, M. D.

Dear Deanne's Family

These two pictures were taken of Deanne at Kyle G.'s Eagle Scout project for the Lorlonyo School near Kpong, Ghana. She came to help and is reading to the children in their classroom under the trees which is typical of what she did while in Ghana.  We loved how she made us welcome in her home in Ghana and provided one stop shopping for us returning obrunnies from our mission with Bernice's help.    She was an example to many of how one can reach out and help people better themselves with a little help.   Deanne helped Bernice and many others in her stay in Ghana. She was an inspiration to us in our Ghana sisters scripture group.  We also mourn Deanne's passing.

Sincerely,

Dale and Lea H.

We have many fond memories of the Krieger Family  from Park City.  We remember when you moved into the condos where we first met you.  Our boys Spencer and Carter were about the same ages as Kip and John.  We used to always comment how we raised them together. Our boys knew your phone number better than ours 649-1113. They would always call and see if they could come over so they didn’t have to drive somewhere outside of Park City.  Spencer and Carter talk often about Deanne making them grilled cheese sandwiches, cut into triangles and of course, rounded out with raw carrots for a healthy meal. When Spencer was young, Deanne was in a hurry for dinner and didn’t have time to go out to the junction to McDonalds.  She had no choice but to take them to Burger King.  She called me and I had to convince Spencer that he was allowed to go there. I don’t think she ever took him there again, but we laughed about that often.

Deanne and I traded volunteering days in the boys grade schools for Spencer and Kip.  One of us would volunteer while the other one tended Carter and John. Carter and John thought that they could tend themselves and on a rare occasions when we had to pick up older kids they did.  The boys played so well together that they spent lots of time doing that. Deanne and I both agreed it was about as easy to have them both than one.  Deanne was the type of person who never kept score if she had tended and helped you more than you did.  She was an easy friend, always giving of herself to help others, even people who were hard to love. My boys loved your house and always felt very comfortable there.

Deanne always juggled her time to make time for friends and family,  She served in the young women’s for what seemed to be forever.  She had a very busy life giving service with a sense of humor.  She was not easily offended by others, usually giving them the benefit of a doubt.

Deanne was like a sister that I never had.  I could ask her to do anything for me or my family and she wouldn’t hesitate.  She loved life, her family, the gospel and all that was important.  We laughed a lot, cried some and had lots of fun.  I love Deanne and all that she taught me and did for me.  She truly is one of the best friends I have ever had.  I love Deanne and her great family.

Love ,

Sue Y.

Hello Krieger family,

I was one of Deanne's BYU freshman roommates--What a wonderful, easy friend she was.  We only lived together that one year, but what a year it was!  One of the fun memories was trekking to the SLC airport in October, 1975, to be with Deanne when she bid farewell to Kurt as he headed off on his mission.  She was smiling the whole time--that wonderful, full-faced smile--but she bawled her eyes out all the way there and back!  I am attaching the photos of that early morning.  (There are three pictures--one of Sue K., Deanne, and Paula C. walking into the airport, then one of Deanne and Kurt as she gives him a boat-load of presents, and then one of the back of Deanne as she watches Kurt's airplane take off.)  There was never any doubt that Deanne's heart was with Kurt on his mission.  

I am also attaching three pictures of the six of us--Harris Hall apartment #67 (Pat S., Paula C., Deanne Lisonbee, Marianne K., Nanette S., and me , Gayle L.)

My sister, Saundra B., has mentioned Deanne and Kurt Krieger to me several times--what wonderful people you are and how much she enjoys you--but just a few weeks ago told me that Deanne had made the connection (that Saundra and I are sisters).  She told me Deanne had been my roommate, and I said, "Deanne Lisonbee?"  I was thrilled to have that connection and was so sorry to hear that this fight was coming to a close.  

My heart and prayers go out to your family.  I loved Deanne and always knew that her life would be full and fun and significant.  From everything that Saundra has told me, as well as the wonderful tribute to her in the paper, she made so much of the life that she had.  It was a great privilege to know her.

Gayle S. L.

Thank you

We would like to thank everyone for all of the photos and stories of Deanne. We hope that everyone can enjoy and receive comfort from these stories as much as we have. Thank you again and we hope that people will continue to share their stories of our loving Deanne.