Denise Rae Oetker, 59, of Lebanon, passed away Saturday, July 31, 2021, in her home.
Denise was born April 23, 1962, in Marshalltown, IA, a daughter of the late William Leroy and Ann Claudette (Baldwin) Peterson.
She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a devoted housewife for 32 years and truly loved raising her children and supporting her husband. Denise was an Army wife for over 20 years and the mother of two veterans, enduring the challenges of those positions. She supported her family through 23 combat deployments, including a timeframe that both her children and husband were all deployed at the same time, no easy feat for a wife and mother. Because of her love for children, she worked at a daycare center while in Virginia for four years, nurturing over 20 kids. She was not afraid to express herself, and those that were around her have a fond memory of her animated expressions. She loved to draw original pictures and passed on her love of music to her children. She enjoyed watching television; her favorite shows include Charmed, NCIS, Murder She Wrote, Law and Order, Supernatural and Funniest Home Videos. Denise had a passion for cooking and ensured her family ate together every night and passed on her recipes and traditions to her children. Denise: daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, friend, you will be missed by everyone that had the opportunity to be a part of your life. We pray that you have finally found peace and relaxation, we will all find comfort in knowing you are watching over us as our angel.
Survivors include her children, Brad (Sarah) Oetker of Fayetteville, NC and Amber (Rich) Eady of Vail, AZ; grandchildren, Alexander Oetker and Alexia Eady; sisters, Cindy (Jim) Thompson of Lebanon, IN and Elaine (Tony) Rehak of Brooklyn Park, MN; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins that all loved her dearly. In addition to her parents, Denise was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Michael “Mike” Oetker.
“Ain’t Nothing But A Thing”
Family and friends will gather in Marshalltown, Iowa for her funeral at Riverside Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday 7 August 2021. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made in cash or check to her next of kin, Bradly Oetker.
Strawmyer & Drury Mortuary, 2400 N. Lebanon Street, Lebanon, has been entrusted with Denise’s arrangements for cremation.
