Ione Mary Desautel

Ione Mary (Olson) DeSautel, age 85 of Grafton, ND passed away on Sunday, February 03, 2013 at the Lutheran Sunset Home of Grafton. Ione was born March 16, 1927, the youngest child of seven to Carl and Emma (Wisted) Olson at Williams, MN. Ione graduated from Williams High School and then moved to Bismarck, ND to live with her sister, Violet Larson. She met the love of her life, Wally DeSautel, when they both worked at the National Tea Co. Grocery Store. They married on June 6, 1949 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Bismarck. In 1952 they moved to Grafton to own and operated Wally's Fairway. They had six children, Debby, Tim, Mike, Becky, Guy and Kent. Ione devoted her life to providing a happy home for her family. She always welcomed her children's friends into their home. She was chosen as a North Dakota Merit Mother in 1983. The family enjoyed weekends and vacations at Birch Beach, Lake of the Woods for 41 years. She shared stories about growing up on a farm in northern Minnesota. She enjoyed reading, sewing, picking wild blueberries and playing bridge and whist with friends. She was a lifelong member of St. John's Catholic Church. Her kindness and concern for others will be dearly missed. Ione is survived by her husband, Wally, of Grafton, ND; children: Debby (Joe) Karas, Lankin, ND; Tim (Jan) DeSautel, Grafton, ND; Mike (Jill) DeSautel, Chandler, AZ; Becky (Wayne) Coulthart, Grafton, ND; Guy (Chryl) DeSautel, Devils Lake, ND; Kent (Jane) DeSautel, Grafton, ND; 13 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren; her sister, Geneva Block, Virginia, MN and sister-in-law, Audrey Olson, Williams, MN. Ione was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Violet Larson, Lillian Mason, Borghild Anderson, brothers, Jerome and Paul Olson and daughter-in-law, Signe "Skip" DeSautel. Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 10:30 A.M. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of Grafton. Visitation will be Wednesday from 1:30 -2:30 at the Lutheran Sunset Home Chapel and from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at St. John's Catholic Church of Grafton. A prayer service will be held Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM at St. John's Catholic Church. Friends may also call at the church on Thursday for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at St. John's Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lutheran Sunset Home or the St. John's Kitchen Fund.