Alice Rose (Deschene) Ekman

Alice Rose Ekman, 88, of Denver CO, formerly of Argyle, MN, passed away on November 14, 2015, at the University of Colorado Hospital, surrounded by her eight children, blessed with her faith and love.

Alice was born on January 14, 1927, in Argyle, MN, to Mike and Mary Nowacki. She was raised with strong family values that were reflected throughout her lifetime and her legacy lives on with her own children and their families.

Alice Nowacki married Lawrence Deschene in Argyle, on May 8, 1946. They had five children: Harlan “Harley” Deschene of Colorado, Edie (Larry) Mickelson of Minnesota, Joni (Michael) Scholz of Oregon, Wally (Linda) Deschene of Montana, and Larry Deschene of Montana. Following the death of her husband, Alice continued to raise their children on the family farm near Argyle. On November 30, 1959, she was married to Richard Ekman and they were blessed with three children: Donna (Dave) Puente of Arizona, Sheldon Ekman Colorado, and Julie (Donnie) Bader of California.

The children learned the meaning of a strong work ethic and family unity as they endured the challenges of working on the farm. The children embraced the love and support of family and were actively involved in church and school activities. They learned to cook, sew, garden, and raise animals which served them well in difficult times. There were years of severe Minnesota winters when the children recall the resourcefulness of their mother, who always made sure they were well cared for. The freezers and cupboards were filled with farm-raised meats and canned garden produce. The farm home was welcoming to visitors that stopped by and there was always room to join the family of ten around the table. Many traditional family meals were shared with family and friends over the years.

Alice taught the children: “If there is a Will, there is a Way.” The lessons of life that they learned will forever live in the memories they cherish.

Alice moved to Denver, Colorado, following the passing of her second husband and had resided there for 42 years. She especially loved to spend time with her eight children, 27 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild that always brought her joy.

Her family wishes to express appreciation for your kindness and sympathy and for your attendance at the memorial service. These acts of kindness are evidence of your love and concern and are greatly appreciated. May we be mindful of the fact that our presence is both honoring the memory of the deceased and giving comfort to the family.

Memorial Mass: Friday, July 8, 2016, at 10:00 AM, in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Argyle, MN
Visitation: One hour prior to Mass.
Interment: St. Rose Catholic Cemetery, Argyle.

Noon Luncheon will be followed by a Celebration of Life Reception till 4:00 PM, at the Argyle American Legion.

Following is the eulogy read at Alice's service.

Alice Rose Nowacki Deschene Ekman – Memorial

Alice Rose Ekman, born January 14, 1927, was the 8th of 9 children born to Mike & Mary Nowacki at their farm home in Argyle, MN. She was Baptized and Confirmed at the Alma Catholic Church in rural Argyle. She attended the one-room country school in Alma Township for grades 1 through 8, and then went on to Argyle High School (AHS) where she graduated in May 1945.

Mother met the love of her life, Lawrence Deschene, in High School and they dated the last couple of years at AHS. We have been told that they were quite the “good-looking couple” and turned a few heads, if you will, as they entered the room.

After AHS Graduation, Alice went out to San Francisco to meet her dad, who was working in the shipyards under the WPA (War Powers Act) Program during the War. She was employed as a Secretary for a Naval Officer in the Berkley area. After 6 months, she grew weary and returned home to continue her courtship with Lawrence, and they were soon engaged to be married on May 8, 1946.

From this union, Harlan was the first of 5 children born, followed by: Edie, Joni, Wally & Larry. Tragedy then struck on November 22, 1955, when dad was killed in a gun mishap. Mother was left widowed at the young age of 28 and pregnant with Larry.

Harlan shall never forget being awakened by his mother in the middle of the night to be told that his dad had died. He had just turned 8 a couple of days prior; and as the eldest child, He was suddenly thrust into a position of heavy responsibility for his Mother and Family at a very young age, a position that He has proudly accepted to this day.

Father’s estate was probated, and Mother obtained a Life-Estate interest in the farm, where she continued to reside while raising her family. It was a hard life in that there were no modern day conveniences, such as running water or indoor plumbing. There was a coal & wood burning furnace, and Mother raised livestock and a large garden for the family food & sustenance.

Mother then met Richard Ekman, the local shoe maker, which developed into a loving relationship, and they were married in November 1959. From this union, they were blessed with 3 children: Donna, Sheldon & Julie, and the family farm operation continued to be the main source of income.

On October 30, 1972, tragedy struck again, when Richard died in an accident. At age 45, Mother was widowed for the 2nd time, with her 8 young children left fatherless. Life on the farm became too difficult to handle for Mother after such calamity, so in the summer of 1973, Mother and Harlan, along with the 4 youngest siblings, moved to Denver, where her oldest brother, Florian, lived, to start life anew.

Mother has often said that the move to Denver was the right thing to do and resulted in the Best Years of her Life. She was a dedicated Mother and Homemaker, and she continued in earnest to care for her family as her Number One Priority in Life.

Harlan would characterize his Mother Alice Rose as “The Rose Kennedy” and Matriarch of Our Family – for her sheer strength, perseverance, tenacity, and hard work – all of which were intertwined with her strong religious beliefs and moral convictions, and which have been the path and shining example that she has walked throughout her life.

Mother has been active in her church, as well as in the Community with various organizations, activities and events. She took good care of herself with diet and daily exercise all the way to the end of life, despite her aches and pains.

Alice Rose is survived by her 8 Children- from oldest to youngest: “Harley” Harlan Deschene, Aurora, CO; Edie (spouse Larry) Mickelson, Stony Lake, MN; Joni (spouse Mike) Scholz, Monmouth, OR; Wally (spouse Linda) Deschene, Stevensville, MT; Larry Deschene, Billings, MT; Donna (spouse Dave) Puente, Chandler, AZ; Sheldon Ekman, Aurora, CO; Julie (spouse Donnie) Bader, Redding, CA.

Alice Rose is the last of her generation; all of her 8 siblings have predeceased her, as well as her Mother, Mary, who passed in 1964, and her Father, Mike, who passed in 1972.

We are forever grateful to our Dear Mother Alice Rose. She taught us well - the value of an education, to work hard and persevere, to set goals in life and to constantly strive to achieve them, to learn to cook and eat healthy, to help and respect others, to be proud of who we are as Americans, to enjoy life to its fullest, and, above all, to place God and Family as Number One Priorities in life.

I wish to conclude my tribute to Mother Alice Rose with the following Poem:

God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be,

So He put His arms around you and whispered "Come with Me."

With tearful eyes we watched you suffer and saw you fade away,

Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, you're now at peaceful rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us,

He only takes the best.

In Loving Memory – By: “Harley” Deschene

~ THANK YOU NOTE ~

The families of Alice Deschene Ekman wish to express our deep sense of gratitude and appreciation to everyone for their condolences, love and support in the loss of our Dear Mother & Grand Mother.

A special thank you to Father George Noel, and to the St Rose Choir, Organist Helen Gruhot, Soloist Carol Michalek for her beautiful musical renditions at the Memorial Service, and to Todd Ethier for his wonderful music at the Celebration of Life Reception, and to the St Rose Lunch Committee for their fine food service. Also a very special thanks to Evergreen & Ivy for the most beautiful floral arrangements. Last but not least, thank you to DuBore’s Funeral Home for their exceptional services in handling all of the arrangements for the St Rose Memorial-including the St Rose Cemetery

We especially appreciate the warm welcome received from our home town community of Argyle at the St Rose Memorial Service and the Celebration of Life Reception that followed. On behalf of our entire family – I wish to offer a huge debt of gratitude to all – Thank You!

By: Harley Deschene

 Service Information