Services for David Dessellier
David Dessellier, 71, of Oklee, MN died on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at his residence in Oklee, MN.
Graveside service with Military Honors will be held Friday, October 26, 2018 at 9:30 AM at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery near Oklee, MN.
David Charles Andrew Dessellier was born May 1, 1947, on the family farm, ½ mile north and 1 mile west of Oklee, to the parents of Andrew Onazine Dessellier and Alexina Marie (Carriere) Dessellier. He was the last of 17 children, of which 8 were girls and 9 were boys.
He attended Oklee Public Schools and graduated from the same after attending 13 years of schooling in 1966. He immediately joined the United States Army and served one year of a three year hitch in Vietnam as a combat medic. Upon completing his three year hitch, David married a southern girl by the name of Nancy McClain-Sisk of Troy, NC on May 29, 1969 and decided to establish residency in Troy. David found work at Troy Mobil Home, building mobile homes. A baby girl named Evelyn was born to this union. In 1974, David and Nancy divorced.
In 1974 the economy soured and David rejoined the Army; this time stationed in Italy, where he was assigned to the motor pool. His duties involved both truck and bus operations and inspections. He then was given the option of an “early out” with all military service completed. David eventually went back to school and finally back in the cab of a truck, hauling sand and whatever. He was able to get in with a large trucking company driving nation-wide.
During this period of time, David met a girl from Grand Forks, ND and married her. Together they had 3 children: a boy, Kenneth Andrew and 2 girls, Brenna Marie and Elizabeth Jo. In August of 2015 the couple divorced.
In 2015, David was told he had colon cancer and so had to retire from the road due to cancer treatments.
David was very proud of his French and German Heritage and considered himself a Christian. His personality was stubborn and independent. He had a passion for sewing and quilting, loved watching Mash, driving as he logged well over 2 million miles, carpentry, woodwork and making something out of nothing.
He is survived by his 4 children: Evelyn, Kenneth, Brenna and Elizabeth; siblings: Cecilia Christianson, Fargo, ND, Eugene (Margaret), Babbitt, MN, Joyce Tougas, Oklee, MN, Vincent (Shirley), Oklee, MN,
Louis (Carolyn), Brooklyn, MN, Ernest, Oklee, MN and Angel Sunsdahl, Oklee, MN; good friend Bev Linder, Oklee, MN; along with many other relatives.
He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings: Paul, George and Alex Dessellier, Rosalie Demarais, Marie Hruby, Dola Bakken, Carol Haugen, Geraldine Dessellier at age 10 ½ years and infant Onazime.
Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
