Deland DeCoteau Obituary (1964 - 2023)

Deland Decoteau, 59, Bismarck, formerly, New Town, ND, passed away, December 4, 2023, at his home. Celebration of his life was held at the Community Center, New Town, Friday, December 8, 2023. Burial was in the Snow Bird Cemetery, New Town. Dee was born in Minot ND. On Sept 3, 1964, attended school in Minot ND until the family moved to Belcourt ND. He went to school in Belcourt briefly moved to Bismarck and graduated Bismarck High School. He joined the US ARMY and went to college at the University of Mary. He worked as a Counselor at the Bismarck State Prison, West Central as a Counselor, he worked for Enable as a PSA, The Bismarck School System, the Fargo Blood Bank as a Phlebotomist. He married, Divorced, had 3 kids, enjoyed playing guitar singing & dancing & spending weekends with his brother Dana DeCoteau, & his Late Brother Allen DeCoteau, he enjoyed the holidays and use to love making cookies with his adopted niece Catelin her family & his niece/ daughter Misty Smutzler. He enjoyed exchanging recipes with his sister Lois McDonough, he loved hanging out with his baby sister Gail DeCoteau & her kids Kelsey, Cody, Ethan, & Emily. He had fun times with his sister Lori Beston, enjoyed phone visits his brother Gordon DeCoteau, he loved his nephews Kenny Frye & Jessie DeCoteau like son’s, he loved his long conversations with Mathew & Monica Curfman, he was so Proud of His niece Bev DragsWolf and called her Wonder Woman. He grew up close to his sister (Cher) Cheryl Little Owl he is loving called her his Lucy & he was Linus, & she always called him Her Baby. He spent time watching movies, & coloring with his niece’s Christina LittleOwl, Kloey Frye, Lilly LittleOwl, & all his other nieces & nephews. Too know Dee was to Love him. Funny, loving, kind, respectful, talented, thoughtful who wouldn't love him. His voice was soft and soothing, and he always knew what to say to help you through a moment, he would say close your eyes and dance to the music. I read a message he left on his niece Misty’s messages, He said thank you for giving me a reason to live. He never wanted anyone left out. He used to say we were vampires because Auntie Roxanne Grinnell never aged & Uncle Leland Fox always looked the same. He said his brothers & Uncles were blessed with music and his sisters were blessed. I would say with what and he would, Hmmmm I haven't figured that out yet. It's true God only takes the best, he took you. He is survived by his brothers Gordon/ Margaret & Dana DeCoteau of Bismarck, His sister Lori, Beston/Mark, Lois McDonough/ John of Moorhead Minnesota , Gail DeCoteau, Bismarck Cher LittleOwl/Tom Bismarck, his nieces Delah DeCoteau, Candace, Casey, Bev Dragswolf, McAndrews, Emily Davis, Melissa, Nicole DeCoteau, Monica Curfman, Misty Smutzler, Christina, & Lilly LittleOwl, Kloey Frye, Lakota, Tami, Nephews, Ryan Doll, Kenny & Jonathan Frye, Mathew Curfman, Jessie DeCoteau, Kelsey & Cody Smith. Ethan Davis, Randy DeCoteau, Ryan Doll. Preceded in death by his Mother Beverly (Fox) Martell, Father Walter DeCoteau, brothers Allen & Leonard DeCoteau, (Son) Joseph DeCoteau, Frank DeCoteau, (Nephew).