Denise Van Lith

Denise Annette Van Lith (nee Loy), 67, of Ortonville, MN passed away May 20th, 2024, surrounded by her beloved daughters after a short battle with cancer. While her loss has left deep grief and disbelief to all who knew her, her life endowed usall with immense love, joy, wisdom, and laughter.

A celebration of life will be held on July 10th at the Ortonville Public Library from 4:00pm-6:00pm. All are welcome to attend, light refreshments will be provided. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations are made to Big Stone Area Animal Rescue or Ortonville Public Library in her name.

Dee was born on February 8th, 1957, to two loving parents, Bob and Loretta Loy, in Ortonville, joining what would grow to be a beautiful family of three boys and four girls. She spent much of her life in the Ortonville area, graduating from high school there in 1975, later beginning her family there, and after several years away, returning to settle there in 1996. She enjoyed the closeness in proximity she had to her siblings and parents in Ortonville, as well as the sense of community.

She lived a full life that was rich in meaning, peacefulness, and rooted in her gratitude for her family and friends. As caring for others was her nature, she built two careers from her kind-heartedness, first being a stay-at-home mom for several years and then dedicating 23 years of her life as a certified nursing assistant. Dee was fulfilled in her work, bringing warmth and dignity to the residents she cared for, while building lasting friendships with many of her coworkers. 

While all of Dee’s accomplishments brought her contentment, being a mother and grandmother brought true purpose to her life. Whether she was passing on her gift for finding treasures and giving them new life (such as décor and clothing) or sharing favorite family recipes, she cherished time with her children and grandchildren and doted on them endlessly. 

Dee’s childhood on a farm is where she developed her affection for animals. She enjoyed companionship from pets nearly all her life and took immense joy in spoiling them, especially her cat Bam Bam, who imparted her retired life with comfort and plenty of energy. 

She loved to read, allowing her imagination to wander in thousands of books throughout her lifetime. For Dee, there was nothing like the power of a well-written story, especially her favorite genre of mysteries. She loved music and passed that affinity onto her children; she also loved basking in thesunshine, which she enjoyed in Minnesota summer as well as during regular trips to Florida to visit Martha & family. 

Dee was one of the strongest women to walk this earth and our family was blessed to have her as a model of perseverance and resilience, especially in overcoming several major health challenges over the last decade. She was a genuine and gentle woman with a delightful, yet sarcastic, sense of humor, and a heart with boundless compassion. She is survived by her two daughters, Lee and Martha, her grandchildren Brooklyn and Kamden, her three sisters, Robin Olson, Vicki Zenk, & Julie Rebehn, and one brother, Gary Loy. 

Written by Dee’s family.