Debra D. Sieling
Debra Diane Sieling, age 72, passed away in her home while surrounded by her loving family on May 13, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer. Deb was born on January 11, 1951, to parents Russell & Ethel (Crozier) McCarty and grew up in Frazee, MN.
Growing up, she developed a lifelong love of animals, especially her horses and dogs. In 1969, she was crowned Miss Detroit Lakes; she continued her interest in pageants by organizing the Miss Dairyland Pageant in Bertha and judging other area pageants.
After graduating from Frazee High School in 1969, she attended Moorhead State University in Minnesota and earned a degree in physical education. She was very proud to be the first in her family to graduate with a four-year degree. On June 25, 1971, she was united in marriage to Robert Sieling at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Perham, MN. In 1973, Bob & Deb moved to Bertha, MN where they spent the next 38 years raising their family and working in education. Deb worked in various roles at the Bertha-Hewitt School and Freshwater Education District which included teaching, coaching basketball for a couple of years with Bob, testing coordinator, career education coordinator, and technology support. Deb was also active in many school and community organizations. She was the go-to person if you needed to get things done. In 2011, Bob & Deb retired from education and moved to Bob’s childhood home in Perham, MN, where they spent the next couple of years executing Deb’s renovating ideas to remodel the house. It is a home that all of their children and grandchildren enjoy and feel welcomed.
Deb loved gardening and flowers, being in her pool, spending time in nature and at the lake, and watching and feeding her birds. She was a master of home decoration, as her home was always in season; she made sure her house felt like a home. She loved riding on the side-by-side and walking the trails they carved out in their land. Her greatest love was spending time with her children and grandchildren and never missed an opportunity to support them at their many activities. Bob and Deb loved to travel and went on several memorable trips to places such as Ireland, Hawaii, Nova Scotia, Alaska and many others. Deb was known throughout her family for giving sound advice, earning her the name of DebMD from her sons-in-law.
Deb is survived by her husband of 52 years, Robert; children, Jen (Jason) Bain, Staci (Shawn) Kuhnke, Sarah (Jake) Wilhelmi, and Jason (Kasi) Sieling; grandchildren, Jaxon, Jillian, and Jaya Bain; Ella, Julia, Ava, and Grace Kuhnke; Jacobey, Adalynn, Brooklynn, and Jaclynn Wilhelmi; Wyatt, Lawson, and Conner Sieling; her brother, Bob McCarty; siblings-in-law, Bonnie (Del) Stohs, Dan (Lori) Sieling, John (Annette) Sieling, Carol (Tom) Chorley; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will begin on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at Schoeneberger Funeral and Cremation Service of Perham, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 6:00 p.m. Visitation will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 22, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Perham, followed a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com
