DeAnna Louise (Boldenow) Skilbred

DeAnna Louise Skilbred peacefully passed away on December 13, 2024, surrounded by her loving children in Hermitage, Tennessee.

A Celebration of DeAnna's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, Minnesota with visitation one hour prior to the service.  A private interment will be held at Artichoke Lutheran Cemetery near Chokio, Minnesota.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Artichoke Lutheran Cemetery (PO Box 56, Chokio, MN 56221), Lord of Life Lutheran Church in North Pole, AK (https://lordoflifeak.com/), or St. John’s Lutheran in Nashville, TN (https://www.stjohnsnashville.org/).

DeAnna's service may be viewed online on the church's YouTube page.

DeAnna Louise (Boldenow) Skilbred passed away peacefully on Friday, December 13, 2024 surrounded by her loving children in Nashville, Tennessee after battling significant health challenges, including aggressive pancreatic cancer.

DeAnna was born February 8, 1952 in Graceville, Minnesota to Herb and Dena Boldenow. According to doctors, it was a miracle that DeAnna survived due to complications at birth. She was baptized at the hospital on the day she was born and later welcomed into the family of God by the people of Eidskog Lutheran Church in Ortonville, MN. She grew up on her family farm thirteen miles south of Chokio and enjoyed an idyllic childhood there with her parents, brothers, and many nearby relatives and friends. There, she learned to fish, cook, bake, sew, and play cards as well as important lessons about integrity, kindness, service, friendship, and work ethic from the best of the best. She confirmed her faith on June 4, 1967 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Chokio, MN.

DeAnna graduated from Chokio-Alberta High School in 1970. She attended Concordia College where she made many lifelong friends, including the love of her life, Daniel Skilbred. The two quickly fell in love and married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church on July 7, 1973. De and Dan moved to Alaska, where they made their home in Fairbanks and then North Pole, raising four children and living contentedly there for over 40 years. 

De was a homemaker - a full-time job raising four children. After her children left for college, she worked as the administrative assistant at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, their church home for over 33 years. Her children fondly remember her sharing her love of reading and her strong faith, serving others and volunteering in her community and church, singing and guitar playing with Dan and with church groups, cooking and baking, sewing, crafting, gardening, camping, fishing, playing card and board games, watching the Twins and following Minnesota sports, and advocating for her children. DeAnna’s gift of gab and love of bringing people together helped her knit together lifelong communities both near and far, always coordinating and hosting gatherings and making sure all were welcome. 

In 2015, De and Dan moved to Nashville, TN due to a strong desire to experience shoveling sunshine instead of ice and snow. They loved being near their son Dustin and lived there until their respective passings, with frequent visitors and travel to loved ones so they could maintain bonds they nurtured and cherished. DeAnna delighted in baking, reading, and playing games with her grandchildren.

DeAnna is survived by her children David (Katie Sieg) Skilbred of Albany, NY, Dawn Skilbred (Sacha) Hall of Westborough, MA, Dustin Skilbred of Hendersonville, TN, and Dane (Ingrid) Skilbred of Willmar, MN, her seven grandchildren Courtney, Adam, Andrew, Isaac, Laurel, Rachel, and Emma, her brother Jan (Janet) Boldenow, sisters- and brothers-in-law Jane Boldenow, Kay Chapman, Mark and Lorena Skilbred, Phil Skilbred, Becky and Harry Telling, Vange Anderson, and John Skilbred, and many beloved nephews and nieces. Preceding her in death are her husband Daniel Skilbred, her parents Herb and Dena Boldenow, her brother Joel Boldenow, her sister-in-law Miriam Skilbred, her brothers-in-law Larry Person and Trevor Chapman, her aunts and uncles and numerous cousins.