Cecelia Theresa Daninger

A Tribute To Cel Daninger by Shawna Lindgren Cecelia Theresa Daninger was my grandmother. While it is difficult not to be sad, I for one am heartbroken. This woman was my world a part of my soul; she wants us to be happy for she is with her God. She never thought living to 85 was even possible. She is a Mother of 6, grandmother of 15 and great grandmother to 19. Those arent just numbers that is family. Cel was all about family and faith. Those two things got her through everything and nothing else truly mattered. When I think of her I dont think of her as a mom, grandmother, great grandmother, hair dresser, woman of God, aunt, cousin, friend....I think about her as a hero. A hero you might question....yes a hero. A hero is defined as someone who is greatly admired for their great or brave acts and fine qualities. That is Cel to a T. I have recently heard many stories of how much she was admired. Admired for her strength, courage and determination. She may not have lived the Life of Luxury that athletes or others who now days refer to as a hero, but she lived with much luxury. Luxury you ask, who can say that they lived with love in their hearts at all times....Cel can she had no hatred, who can say that they had everything they ever needed Cel can because she believed God would provide for her, who can say that they had more people knocking down their door to visit in her final days than could fit in her home...Cel Can. Thats luxury, not money or possessions or fame....just love, faith and family. I personally admired her faith. She was a God loving woman and it never wavered. When things got rough she would pray and tell you to pray. It wasnt just words it was true conviction. Her favorite bible verse was John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Isnt that fitting as we sit here today lifting her up to our almighty God? She taught me and countless others sitting in this room about what faith really meant. She taught us that it didnt just mean going to church every Sunday it meant holding him in your heart. Believing that at the end of the road was her eternal life. We would have hour after hour long chats about faith, we all know how amazing her faith was. That faith made it so that she never gave up on anyone of us. Life was hard she survived the great depression, struggled to put her business together, watched friends, siblings and her beloved husband go before her, battled cancer numerous times at the end dealt with serious health conditions. Did that get her down, never! She told me a story when I was building my house that she had to have a lot of faith when she and Grandpa built their house years and years ago...she went on to say Grandpa wouldnt take out a loan so she went to a loan shark for $500 to buy the land for the house and never told him until it was paid off. Cel did things on her own terms and no one was going to tell her not to do something. She believed that if she gave it all up to God she would be taken care of....and she was. That faith she had made it so that she believed in each and everyone of us. Think in your mind of a time where you needed someone and Cel was there. Thats what her faith taught her to be selfless. She has been saying the last few months that she was just waiting for the paint to dry in her room and God was making the final touches just for her. I can only imagine what it was like for her to enter the gates being home to her almighty! She instilled in us what it meant to love someone unconditionally. She didnt judge just love. I couldnt wait to share my babies with her, seeing her hold them for the first time is a moment never forgotten. Seeing her have so much joy that her family is growing and she had so much love. Her face lit up around her great grandchildren, she had such pride for all of us. Im not sure what I will miss more the smile on her face when she saw my kids or the smile on my kids face as they yell Great Bamma. If you needed something she would find a way to help you out. She always seemed to know just when to give you a hug or send you a card. She never missed a birthday Family isnt just blood Cel believed that it was who you loved, trusted and respected that you called family....but no matter what family sticks together. Cel was very big on traditions that she has rooted deep into her family. From the 4th of July to Christmas....family together is all she ever wanted. She respected you, she loved you, she honored you, she comforted you....she made you feel like you were the only person in the world at that moment that mattered. How many people can you say truly make you feel like that? I look around this room today and see the footprints on our souls that she left behind until we meet her again. How could you ever forget Cel? Cel was magnetic especially when she made you laugh....laughing so hard sometimes you pee your pants or even miss your exit on the way to Hinckley. The hugs that warmed you to the core while you heard I love you in your ear. When you were with Cel you knew you were loved. She embraced the end of her life with a lot of humor as well as dignity. She taught us how to have fun and it didnt cost a thing. From Friday fish fries, to casino trips to just sitting at her house over the years enjoying a cup of coffee, from the good times and the bad, the struggles and joyous occasions, family and friends, faith and love.....those are the moments she asks you to treasure in your heart. I am blessed beyond belief to have had her a part of every aspect of my life, I adored her, I admired her, I looked up to her! As we depart today Id like to leave you with this, its something that I gave to her this past year, And each time we left I would wish her enough: I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough Hellos to get you through the final Goodbye. In one of our final get together over a slot machine, Cel talked to me a lot about life and I ask you to think about this: When its time for someone to be up here talking about your life will they be able to say you lead a Life of Luxury as well. To you my sweet Gram I wish you enough until we meet again. xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox xoxox Cecelia Theresa (Peloquin) Daninger, age 85 of Forest Lake, passed away February 27, 2014 at home, surrounded by her family. Cel is preceded in death by her husband, Thomas J. Daninger; and an unborn grandchild. She will be deeply missed by her children, Toni (James) Pankratz, Kitty (Jon) Johnson, Greg Daninger, Cheryl Proulx (Tom), Cindy Daninger, and Susan (Craig) Hoff; 15 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; sister, Catherine Belland; and many nieces and nephews. A visitation will by held 4-8 PM (Prayers Memories 7:15 PM), Thursday, March 6th and continues 9-10 AM Friday, March 7th at Roberts Family Funeral Home, 555 Centennial Dr. SW, Forest Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM Friday, March7th at Church of St. Peter, 1250 So. Shore Dr., Forest Lake, MN. Interment Calvary Cemetery, Forest Lake. Cecelia (Peliquin) Daninger was born in Withrow, Minnesota on July 22, 1928. She lived on her dads farm until she graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 1946. At that time she knew she wanted to be a beautician so she attended St. Paul School of Beauty and received her license. This became her lifetime work. At the age of 19, Cecelia opened her own beauty shop on Lake Street in Forest Lake and named it Cels. In 1949, she married a boy from the farm across the highway, Tom Daninger. They proceeded to start their family. They had six children: Toni, Kitty, Greg, Cheryl, Cindy and Susan. When Tom built a new house for Cel, she moved her beauty shop into their home. There she did hair for more than seventeen years. Her customers were like family. When Tom and Cel sold their home in 1970, Cel got a job as hairdresser at Birchwood Nursing Home. She spent the next twenty-eight years doing hair there until she retired. After she retired, she developed Parkinsons disease, but wouldnt let that slow her down. Cel was always a mover, enjoying life and staying active with her motorcycle, red convertible, trips to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Jamaica, multiple trips around the states, her casino trips, and enjoying her children and their families. A Granddaughter Remembers. . . . I stand up here today representing my siblings and I...really the entire Daninger family. Cel was our grandmother, but beyond that she was our friend. She was our confidant, then one we went to when we needed support and love. Things werent always this way, I remember being 18 years old getting ready to embark on a 2 week road trip with my family and my gram. At 18 I dreaded the thought of spending 2 weeks with my gram....that was the trip that changed my life. She kept us laughing, enjoying true family time and got to enjoy a casino boat ride together where she introduced me to a drink we later named Cecelias. Im not sure if it was the Cecelias or the vertigo that kept her walking sideways that day. I saw her in a whole new light, she helped mold me into who I am today and ever since I have wanted nothing more than to have her in every single part of my life that I could and I know I my siblings feel the same. You may ask why our shirts say Pimpin Granney D. On that road trip Shayne was 11 and he thought it was so funny to have his 70 year old grandma say funny things, so Pimpin was one of those. She was styling! I must admit to hear her say it was pretty funny and it just stuck. We adored our grandmother. She is our world, she is a part of everything we do and did our family gatherings, our birthdays, my kids birthdays, family dinners.....everything. We got to sit by her side at the casino and have a ball and if you ran out of money she would say here put this in that machine, but I get my money back plus half of what you win. When she was driving around her famous Lincoln town cars she would always have a bottle of Malibu in the trunk. We always asked her what that was for she would say Well in case I meet a cute young buck. She was never short on one liners, she kept us all laughing until her final days. She never gave up on us....she helped us through hard times....I remember as a kid going home with bags of groceries and she would say Oh I just picked up an extra or it was on sale. Never knowing what that really meant until I was older, she helped some through divorce, losses of our own, but was there to celebrate as well at birthdays, graduations, marriages and births. How many people in this room did she bring into her family, giving you a place to stay because Thats just what you do she would always say. She was always there to support us and even when she might not quiet agree and you would hear an Oh Honestly, or For Petes Sake...but she was always there to give you a hug and have that famous smile. She would visit you no matter where you were, take collect calls, calls in the middle of the night, pick you up if you needed a ride....well if she wasnt sitting on the bar stool next to you needing one too, and was always an ear to listen. Our world has come crashing down life without her I cant even imagine, but I know her life is amazing now. No more sick frail little body that kept her from doing a lot of things. She is free to see Grandpa, have a fish fry with Grandma Mary, kiss our little sister Courtney and dance like everyone is watching and not care! We always wanted her approval, but you know what we always had it. She was so proud of us. We will miss hanging out and doing thousands piece puzzles where you cant see straight, eating popcorn and having m ms at the bottom, laughing so hard we cant stand it and I know I will miss her hugs the most. She is a gem; one of a kind....she leaves a hole bigger than she will ever know. We were content just being with her because we knew that every moment was a gift. We were fortunate enough to go to Grams every weekend. Not many kids can say that and that we enjoyed it. When we were younger we feared her...it was a good fear you didnt want that stick across your butt....now we just adore her. We would do anything for her and we know she would do anything for us. When she called it was never a bother it was what I can do to help you to repay you for all that you have given to us over the years. As she got older some of the tasks were less than pleasant, but you now what we would take back doing those things for the world just to have her with us. My sister and I were sitting on the couch not long ago and she joked that people will say the one thing they wont miss about Cell is ....her farts. She could clear a room that is for sure, but we would take back those eyes watering nose burning moments just to have her here. But we arent selfish, the last few weeks I know my prayers have gone to wishing God would light her path to take her home. The last thing I ever wanted for her was to suffer and if that meant me not having her so that she could be rejoicing in Heaven....that is all that I prayed for her. It was a gift from God to be by her side surrounded by all 6 of her children when she entered Heaven. We as the family cannot thank all of the people at the Arbors who took care of her. The last few days we could see the genuine love they had for her....and she had the same love for them. WE cant thank them enough for sitting with us and sharing in our stories. She knew just as much about some of them as her own children...you were a gift to her and to us. Thank you doesnt even describe how we feel for being there when we could not! We love you all. It was my honor and pleasure spending the last few days with my mom, aunts and uncle. Gram would want you to know that Aunt Kitty: Thank you for being there for all of her appointments and watching over her health. I truly believe because of you we had Gram way longer that we should have...what you did was amazing. Aunt Toni: Thank you for always making sure Gram had the means to look and feel great. She always commented how great it felt to have her hair done. I am sure the same way that she made thousands of people feel while she did their hair over the years. Uncle Greg: Thank you for keeping her company on all those Saturday and Sunday nights for dinner. She loved that time you spend together and her Papa Murphys. Aunt Cheryl: Thank you for hosting the holidays at your house. It is and will continue to be a tradition to be together and you made it possible for her to have her family by her side on the holidays with a warm loving home. Aunt Cindy: Thank you for being her entertainment committee and a confidant. You made sure she was having fun and getting to her slot machines...as special thanks to the extra clean-ups at times needed. Mom: Thank you for always making sure she was included in everything we did. From family dinners, to fish fries to birthdays there wasnt a moment she missed because you made sure she was never left out, you made it so family meant wherever Gram was. Lastly I had a vision the other night, and I am hoping that those involved will know what I am talking about because I am a little puzzled.... Kitty-SHUT UP And there was also this vision of someone being escorted to Grams apartment saying GET BACK IN YOUR CAR.....hhmmmmm To our sweet sweet Gram. We love you more than words, hugs and I love yous will ever say. We hope that our actions on earth made you know how special you were to us. You leave a void that will be held until we meet again.We ask that you stand and raise your hands and voices with us as I can only imagine. What it was like for her to join his kingdom, she is finally at rest and free.