Date of Birth:
Wednesday, December 23, 1936
Date of Death:
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Age:
87 years old

Diann Marie Yerigan

Diann Marie Yerigan, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend passed away on September 25, 2024, at Benedictine Living Community in Owatonna, MN.  She was 87 years old.

Born on December 23, 1936, in Madison, SD, Diann was the daughter of William and Ida (Hein) McCool.   She grew up knowing the joys and struggles of farm life which provided her with a strong will and hardworking attitude.  She graduated from Beadle High School and furthered her education at General Beadle Teachers College.

On December 28, 1957, Diann married Gordon Yerigan in Madison, SD.  They built a loving home and made a wonderful team in raising their three children.  Her friendly demeanor and strong work ethic made working with customers at Snyder Drug, Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe and Premier Bank a natural choice.  Above all, Diann’s greatest accomplishment was raising her family while still being a working woman.  She loved seeing her grandchildren and getting to spend time with them all.  They all knew “Grandma’s Rules”.

Music and a strong Catholic faith were the cornerstone of Diann’s life.  She played piano at a young age and throughout her life.  She shared her musical talent by singing in the choir and playing both piano and organ for the church.  Her creative abilities shined bright through her love of sewing, crafting and baking.  She enjoyed simple pleasures such as gardening, canning and being a Minnesota Twins fan.  She treasured spending time with friends in bible studies, bridge clubs and garage sales. Diann appreciated visits with friends and extended family and always made them feel welcome.  Her kindness, strength and unwavering support will be remembered fondly by all who knew her.

Diann lived in memory care and nursing home care for 4 years as her dementia advanced.  Knowing that Gordon would leave first, Ann and Sue asked their Dad to come back for Diann so she could be the person she once was.  On the one-month anniversary of Gordon’s passing Diann had a significant change in condition and passed away two days later.

Diann is survived by her daughters, Ann (Todd) Indykiewicz of Mantorville, MN; Sue (Dave) Seykora of Claremont, MN; grandchildren, Cale (Maggie) Yerigan, Garret (Amie) Yerigan, Leah Seykora, Kate Seykora, Charlie Seykora; great-grandchildren, Lainey, William and Gordon; brother, Tom (Glennys) McCool and a host of other family and friends. Diann was preceded in death by her loving husband, Gordon and son, Derril.

A Memorial  Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 11, 2024 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1315 12th Ave, NW in Rochester.  A visitation will be held at the church following the Mass.  Burial will be held at a later date in New Richmond, WI where she will be laid to rest with Gordon and Derril.

The Family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Benedictine Living Community in Owatonna, MN for the amazing care and compassion that was shown to Diann over the past 2 years while living with dementia.   Memorial contributions can be made to the family where it will support the “Wellness and Activity” fund at Benedictine Living Community in Owatonna in support of activities directly related to patient care.  Diann loved to go on outings for pie, a meal or just a ride; she also enjoyed the in-house events and the family would like to help continue that for others.