02/24/1926-04/25/2021
At 95 years of age, Dee passed away on Good Shepherd Sunday. She was preceded in death by John Crosse, Sr.,the father of her 10 Children, James Bondurant, her second husband, and George St. Onge, her devoted companion of many years, and two sons: Paul Crosse and Charles Crosse. She is survived by her other 8 children, John Crosse, Jr. (Beth), Connie Johnson, Greg Crosse (Sandy), Chris Crosse (Tammy), Rose Powell (George), Shirley Miller, Suzan Turley (Dave) and Richard Crosse. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren, one sister, Kay, and many loving nieces and nephews.
Dee was born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin to Alfred E Turgeon and Anna Riebel Turgeon. She was the 6th of 12 children: Elmer, Norbert, Eugene, Lovetta, Dorothy, Delores, Phyllis, Evelyn, Marjorie, Rita, Kay and Gloria. Elmer died at birth.
When Dee was 8 or 9, her mother fell ill and her father was left to raise his 11 young children.They did not have a car and he worked two jobs during these hard times. The older siblings were put in charge of their younger siblings. Dee recalled having no running water back then and hauling it home in buckets from the neighbors to water their garden.
Dee attended school through the eighth grade. At age 16 she left for Milwaukee to attend schooling at the National Youth Administration. She got a job winding motors at Westinghouse Electric. She and her sisters would get “dolled up” to attend USO dances. She said “We were really something back then.”
At the age of 18 she married John Crosse. Neither the priest in Tomahawk nor Milwaukee wanted to marry them, so they tied the knot at City Hall. Their first child, John was born in Milwaukee and they moved to Detroit soon after.
In Detroit, they lived with John’s parents and ended up getting married in the Catholic Church when John became Catholic. Dee’s uncle stood up for John’s confirmation at St. Benedict the Moor in Detroit.
In Detroit, Dee worked at Packard Motor Company. They were making airplane engines for the war. She made $100 a week. John worked for Pabst Blue Ribbon, then got into printing. They bought a house on Sumner Street for $9500. It was on two lots, had a big 2-car garage in back and was walking distance to St. Valentine Catholic parish and school, a grocery store, a Fish & Chips restaurant, a bank, and a doctor’s office. Dee loved this house and John spent money to fix it up nice. She had everything she needed within walking distance. Dee never had a need to learn to drive. She said their home was the hot spot for all the kid’s friends because they were the only ones with a TV. They lived in this home for 16 years before moving to California.
John’s parents moved to California and talked John and Dee into moving there. They packed up and moved. They moved frequently in California, looking for a decent home to buy and finally found one in Covina. It was a big house with a swimming pool. John had difficulty finding printing work in California and they ended up moving to Colorado where Dee’s sisters Dorothy and Phyllis were living.
After her children were grown, Dee moved back to California to open a thrift store with Gloria and John’s friend John. She loved living in California. She was close to her son John and spent lots of time with Gloria and her family.
Her son John worked with George St. Onge at the city of Los
Angeles. After meeting, Dee and George became devoted companions, and attended church regularly. After George’s death, Dee cared for George’s mother until she died.
While living in California, Dee babysat the neighborhood children, mostly before and after school and some infants. She only charged parents a couple dollars an hour. She cared for more than 70 children in all and was known and loved by countless children as “Grandma Dee.” She was also a loving godmother.
After George’s mother passed, Dee moved to Victorville to be close to Gloria’s family.
In 2008, she moved back to Colorado to be close to most of her children and grandchildren. She lived with Rose’s family for 10 years. During this time she was blessed with many great grandchildren whom she doted on. The younger ones know her as “Gigi”. Her heart was filled with love for children and dogs. It seems she always had a child or 2 or 3, or a dog on her lap.
She lived her last 4 years at Harvard Square, an assisted living facility in Denver. Playing Bingo, scratching lottery tickets, jigsaw puzzles and playing video poker on her tablet provided hours of entertainment for her.
Dee was a lifelong Catholic with a deep love of Jesus and maintained a strong dedication to prayer reciting the rosary and traditional Pieta prayers daily. She faithfully and fervently prayed for her loved ones and could not wait to get to Heaven to be united in Christ with family and friends and continue to pray from Heaven for those she leaves behind, especially her children.
She was known for giving prayer cards and blessed scapulars to loved ones for whom she added to her prayers.
Prayer to the Heart of Jesus
O GENTLEST Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the soul of Your departed servant. Be not severe in Your judgment, but let some drops of Your Precious Blood fall upon her, and send, O merciful Saviour, Your angels to conduct her to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Dee will be laid to rest at The Good Shepherd Cemetery in California beside George.
Psalms 23 - The Good Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd,
there is nothing I lack
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.
You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for endless days.
Rest In Peace, Dee
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