Deanna Sue Despain – Dickson's Obituary
Deanna Sue Despain [Dickson]May 14, 1974 ~ January 6, 2012Deanna Despain of Oakland, CA passed away on January 6, 2012. Deanna was born on May 14, 1974 in Salt Lake City, UT to her deceased parents Susanna Mary Hyland Despain and Robb Edwin King. Deanna grew up in Salt Lake City and moved to California in 2001, eventually settling in the Bay Area to start a new career. In 2008, she married her soul mate Andrew “Drew” Dickson of St. Helena, CA, and in 2011, they celebrated the birth of their beloved daughter Adele Hyland Dickson.Deanna was a strong, confident, and independent woman who was a natural mother, leader, and friend. As the child of a single mother who loved her children without limits, Deanna possessed a unique wisdom and inner strength that inspired all around her. She inherited from her mother her beautiful blue eyes and a joie de vivre for life. Deanna’s beautiful smile would light up a room and bring strength and joy to the people in her life. Her incredible intelligence, quick wit, and wonderful sense of humor inspired her to love travel, food, music, fashion, and matinee movies. Deanna achieved professional success early in life, when at the age of 34, she became the City Clerk for the City of Berkeley, CA in 2009. As the City Clerk, she was considered the city’s “rock” and performed her job with amazing skill and grace. She was respected and admired by elected, appointed, and community leaders throughout the City of Berkeley and beyond.Above all else, Deanna was a devoted and loving mother, whose spirit will live on in her daughter Addie. As a new mother, Deanna relished in her defining role as Addie’s mommy and she created a home filled with love, joy and happiness. Deanna leaves behind a world filled with family, friends and colleagues who grieve the tragic loss of an irreplaceable woman. Her family takes deep heart and solace knowing that she lived her life fully, enjoyed the finer things, and laughed often. Deanna will forever be remembered by her profound capacity to love others, her fierce loyalty to family and friends and most importantly her love for her husband and daughter.Deanna is survived by her loving family, her husband Drew, daughter Adele and trusted four-legged companion Gus; her sister Anne-Marie Despain and brother-in-law Mark Buhler; her sister Kristina Despain Sovereen; her brother and sister-in-law Richard and Tamira Despain; her mother-in-law Sandee Dickson; her brother and sister-in-law Lane and Lindsey Dickson; and numerous nieces and nephews. A public celebration of Deanna’s life will be arranged at a future date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Deanna Despain Memorial Fund for Adele Hyland Dickson. Checks should be sent to the Deanna Despain Memorial Fund, 2342 Shattuck Avenue, #886, Berkeley, CA 94704-1517.
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