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Delores ‘Dee’ Pastorius
Delores “Dee” Steichen Pastorius, 87, of Bradenton, died Feb. 22.
She was born Feb. 14, 1938, in St Paul, Minnesota, where she attended St. Agnus school and graduated from Washington High School, which is where she met the love of her life, Maynard.
She retired from Buckbee Mears Co. in St. Paul. She also was a lifelong artist and avid gardener.
Her realized her dream to retire early, move to Florida and take art classes. She took classes at the Art Center of Longboat Key. She was a member of the Florida Watercolor and Florida Suncoast Watercolor societies and was juried into many art shows at the Art Center Manatee and others. She won dozens of awards and her art is in personal collections around the world. She was a member and displaying artist at Island Gallery West and the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island.
She also was a member of the Manatee Garden Club and shared her yard on the garden tour. The couple belonged to the Anna Maria Island Privateers. She hosted Goddess parties on the beach and was creative in everything that she did. Through all her activities she made many friends, including one who summed her up like so, “She was always such a spunky, funny, interesting, creative and talented woman.”
A celebration of life will be 1-4 p.m. Sunday, March 23, at the Manatee Garden Club, 3120 First. Ave W., Bradenton.
A second celebration of life and memorial service will be at Mueller Bies Funeral home, Roseville, Minnesota, June 12.
The family offered a special thank you to Moffitt Cancer Center and Tidewell Hospice for their exceptional care.
Mrs. Pastorius is survived by her husband of 68 years Maynard; daughter Jody and husband Tom Tschida; son Todd and wife Dee-Dee; daughter-in-law Kathy Pastorius; siblings Phyllis Byerly, Tom Steichen and Bill Steichen; grandchildren Angel and husband Jeff Colonna, Krystle LeTourneau, Cassandra and husband Andrew Johnson, Nick, Blake Hatlestad, Stephanie, Michelle and husband Shaun Lapinski, and Rocky Tschida; many great and great-great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and her parrot Big Red.