Deanna B Stearns' Obituary
Deanna B. (Doemel) Stearns, age 85, passed away peacefully at Eden Meadows in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
on 16 December 2023. She was born on 11 March 1938 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to the late Harold and
Beatrice (Barlow) Doemel. Deanna met the love of her life, Richard Stearns, and the two exchanged
vows on 14 September 1957 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oshkosh. Deanna worked for the Oshkosh Public School System in a variety of jobs for 23 years. Her favorite part of the job was meeting and interacting with the teachers and the students. She would often talk about the young children who would seek her out for advice or just for a friendly chit chat. Making friends was her superpower. There wasn’t a person she couldn’t talk to or make friends with. Even while in the nursing home she endeared herself to the other residents and the staff. Deanna’s favorite pastimes included spending weekends with her husband and friends camping at her trailer at Horicon Marsh, “getting a deal” at a rummage sale, and singing in any and every choir imaginable. Deanna had a beautiful voice and even directed the choirs on occasion including lastly, the Y-Nots, a Fox Valley senior choir. She loved to travel and looked forward to frequent visits with her sons in places across the United States and overseas. One of her proudest accomplishments was going back to school, late in life, and getting her high school diploma. Sadly, Deanna will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Deanna is survived by her children Michael (Ursula), James, Paul (Sarah) and Christopher (Michell
) Stearns, sister Marilyn (Doemel) Hammerseng, brother-in-law Dennis Hammerseng, five grandchildren,
three great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Preceding her in death are her husband, her parents, and her sisters June Janke, Janet Lautenschlager,
Nancy Salzer and Carol Madaus.
The funeral service will take place at 11:00 A.M. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oshkosh on Friday,
12 January 2024. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to the start time of Mass. A luncheon at Sacred Heart
Catholic Church will immediately follow. The internment will take place at 2:00 P.M. at Lake View
Memorial Park in Oshkosh.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Deanna’s name be directed to the American
Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org. The family also wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the
staff of Eden Meadows, Ascension Northeast Wisconsin Mercy Hospital and Compassus Hospice for the
care that Deanna received.
Fiss & Bills – Poklasny Funeral Homes, Oshkosh, is assisting the family. Online condolences are
encouraged and may be made at www.fissbillspoklasnyfuneralhome.com
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