Veronica"Vonnie" Marie (Thraen) DeYonge

In Loving Memory of

Veronica “Vonnie” Marie DeYonge

Veronica “Vonnie” Marie DeYonge, age 94 passed away on Thursday, August 5, 2021 in Slayton, MN.  She was born December 19, 1926 in Iona Township near Slayton, Minnesota to Andrew and Helena (Hermeling) Thraen.  She grew up in the rural Slayton, Currie and Iona areas attending school in Currie, Slayton and Tracy.  On October 4, 1950 she married Johannes (John) DeYonge at St Columba Catholic Church in Iona, Minnesota.  Following their marriage, they lived on a farm near Hadley, Minnesota. In 1959 they moved their young growing family to Buena Park, CA and returned in 1966 to the farm near Hadley where they lived and farmed until 2014 when they moved into town.  They were blessed with 9 children, 25 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.  Once her youngest 2 children where in high school and at a time in her life when most people would have begun preparations for retirement, she decided that wasn’t for her and it was time to rejoin the workforce.  She began working as a homemaker assistant for Region 8 Health and Human Services, preparing meals and cleaning homes for elderly and disabled individuals. She continued to do this until she physically was unable to and many of her clients were younger and more able-bodied than she herself.  Vonnie was a lifelong member of St Columba Catholic Church, a member of CCW, an active member of the Catholic Daughters in both Iona and Slayton as well as the VFW Auxiliary in Iona.  She loved people and serving others was a very important part of her life. This showed in everything she did, in her chosen profession and the organizations she chose to invest her time and talents.   She loved to travel—always kept a suitcase partially packed so if someone asked her go along, she was ready in a moments notice! And while dancing, singing, playing cards, and gardening were her favorite pastimes, visiting and spending time with family and friends trumped everything else.  She treasured her family from her cousins all the way down to those littlest great-grandchildren and if you were in her home, you were family.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Ken of Hadley, MN, Bill (Debbie) of Pierre, SD, Rochelle (Kent) Hasse of Chaska, MN, Lori Speckmeier of White Bear Lake, MN, Jeff (Tanya) of Glencoe, MN, Melinda Roberts of Mankato, MN and James (Lynette) of Slayton, MN, 25 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, Kristin Ohnstaz of Minneapolis, MN as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and an endless list of friends.  Vonnie is preceded in death by her parents, her husband John, sons Tom and Rex, daughter-in-law Sandra DeYonge, sisters Frances Thedans, Kathryn Boudreau, Deloris Thraen, 5 infant sisters and brothers Joseph and Duane Thraen.

Blessed be her memory.

Funeral Services

St Columba Catholic Church in Iona, MN on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 10:30 am with Fr. Thien Nguyen officiating.  The organist is Sharon Lais.  The song leader is Deb Burns Pack. The pallbearers are her grandchildren. Interment is at St Columba Cemetery in Iona, MN.

Visitation will be on Monday, August 9, 2021 at St. Columba Church in Iona, MN from 5-7 p.m. with a CDA Rosary at 5:00 p.m. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the services at the church Monday. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Veronica"Vonnie" Marie (Thraen) DeYonge, please visit our floral store.