Deborah Jo Pease, of rural Centerville, SD, passed away Friday, May 10, 2024, at her home. Mass of Christian burial will be 10:00 am Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Centerville, SD. Father David Roehrich will be the celebrant. Burial will follow at Saint Columbkille Cemetery. Liturgical wake service will be 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 15th - also at Good Shepherd Catholic Church.

Deborah Jo Geditz was born August 27, 1965, in Chamberlain, SD, to Gerald and Beth Geditz. She was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lower Brule. After one year in Reliance, SD, the family moved to Northville, SD for two years before moving to the family ranch near Mansfield, SD. She was a huge help with all ranch activities – even learning how to AI cattle to help with the breeding program. She attended elementary, junior high, and high school at Cresbard High School where she excelled in academics, sports, and extra-curricular activities – all of which earned her a Governor's Scholarship.

Debbie earned her degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Dakota. It is here that she met Quint Pease. The couple was active in the Newman Center and were married there on August 5, 1989.

The couple moved to Centerville, SD, where Debbie taught kindergarten for one year before becoming a mom. The couple continued to grow their family and moved to an acreage outside of Centerville where they raised their family, goats, chickens, rabbits, and a large garden. Debbie had an amazing green thumb and used her talent to grow an incredible garden each year that allowed her to share produce with others and preserve food for use throughout the year.

Debbie's love of teaching and learning was put to good use home educating her children. She also taught religious education classes at their parish, Good Shepherd Catholic Church, in Centerville, SD.

Debbie was passionate about life issues, homebirth, and homeschooling in South Dakota. This led her on a mission of over 25-years lobbying for positive changes for pro-life issues, midwifery laws, and homeschooling freedoms in South Dakota. Debbie was a lobbyist for South Dakota Birth Matters & FairSD and Family Heritage Alliance (Family Voice). At her passing she was President of South Dakota Right to Life. Her commitment to life meant she traveled across the State many times to promote life and provide options to protect the most vulnerable. She never stopped using her voice to encourage, educate, and promote life and to support those in need.

Debbie put others before herself and provided an inspiring example of living out one's faith in her roles as a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She wouldn't hesitate to jump in when someone was in need. When something was important to her, she took action to make things better. Because of this, her voice was heard in the State capital many times as she worked to lobby in support of laws to improve life for others. She leaves a lasting impact on the countless number of lives who are better for her efforts, and her legacy lives on with everyone who will continue to fight to improve the lives of others.

When she wasn't caring for her family or standing in the gap for others, Debbie could be found gardening, cooking, baking, and preserving food. She was brilliant at taking whatever was on hand and creating a feast. This experience translated into over a decade of service at Broomtree Retreat and Conference Center as a cook.

Blessed to share her life, Debbie is survived by her husband, Quint; children Rebecca (Paul) Jaeger, Cassandra (Krzysztof) Bielak, Anastasia (Paul) Ugwuoke, Zoe, Emma (Justin) Waletzko, Felicia, Duncan, Gabriella, and Victoria; grandchildren Cecilia, Prince, Darian, Leo, Stella, Maximillian, Freddy, and Baby Waletzko; her dad, Gerald (Mary Kay) Geditz; mother-in-law, Wanda Pease; siblings Louis (Alexandra) Geditz, Linda Spagnotti, Vincent (Theresa) Geditz; Wayne (Terri) Pease, Curt (Julie) Pease, and Jackie Pease; fourteen nieces and nephews; extended family and so many dear friends who became family.

She was preceded in death by her mom, Beth Geditz; father-in-law, Larry Pease; children Dominic, Charlie, Raphael, Quincy, and Max; grandchild Poppy, and sister-in-law Mary (Roger) Harris.

The family will use memorials to support the causes dear to Debbie.