Ann Roen Deisz
April 27,1928 – Dec. 8, 2020. Ann Roen Deisz memorial service will be June 25th, beginning at 11 AM. Service will be held at King of Glory Lutheran Church located at 4125 Grand Avenue, Billings, Montana. All are welcome. Ann Kendall Roen Deisz passed peacefully into heaven on Dec. 8, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Ann was born in Edinburgh Scotland, the third of four children born to David and Annie Kendall. She was 11 years old when World War II began. She talked of Winston Churchill and the unifying inspiration he was for her country; and would occasionally tell stories of food rationing and the nightly blackouts each night from 1939 until 1945. Ann started school at the age of five and graduated when she was 15. She began working at Boswell’s luggage store selling purses and leather goods.
She, her sister and two brothers loved to dance. Ann was 16 when she snuck into a dance with her brother David; this is where she met a handsome U.S. Air Force soldier, Glen Roen. Glen was stationed in London, a 415-mile train ride, one way. Nearly love at first sight, Glen made the long trip to Edinburgh, even for just a few hours of time with Ann. They were married May 22, 1945 at St. George Episcopal Church. With the ending of the war, soldiers returned to the U.S. in Sept. of 1945; in March of 1946 Ann made the six-day trip across the ocean on the ship Queen Elizabeth. Ann and Glen started their life together on the family ranch in Bowman, ND. After being blessed with four children (Glen, David, Clifford and Susan), they bought their own ranch in Sentinel Butte, ND. Not long after the arrival of their fifth child (Kristine), Ann and Glen purchased a larger ranch near Musselshell, MT and relocated there in 1962. A few years later, their sixth child (Angela) was born.
It was 1981 when Glen suffered a severe stroke; this coupled with the 1984 Hawk Creek fire resulted in Ann purchasing a home in Billings. She lovingly cared for Glen until his passing in 1991. Ann met a very kind and loving gentleman, Byrnes Ellender; they were married in July of 1994. Byrnes was taken by cancer in 1996. Several years later, Ann was blessed with love one more time and married Francis Deisz in Jan. of 2004. Frank suffered a stroke two years later, and she lovingly cared for him until she lost her battle with cancer.
Throughout the years, Ann was a selfless, loving, caring, and giving, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. A kind and beautiful person, her family meant the world to her; she was the epitome of love. Regardless of the challenges, the joys, the heartbreaks that life dealt, Ann stood firm, relentless and determined to embrace every moment, and never back down. Ann’s strength came from her relationship with the Lord. She encouraged her children to lead a life of faith and to know and trust Jesus. This faith was one of the greatest gifts to her family. Her lessons and life will be carried on in our families for generations to come.
Ann was preceded in death by her husbands Glen and Byrnes; her parents David and Annie and her sister Kay and brothers David and Alan. She is survived by her husband Frank; her children, Glen (Marilyn) Roen, David (Diana) Roen, Clifford (Linda) Roen, Susan (Ron) Quanbeck, Kristine (Mark) Thatcher and Angela (David) Boyd; and over 46 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ann’s family extends a gracious thank you to Riverstone Hospice for the excellent care given to Ann and the assistance provided to our family. Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Ann’s life is being planned for a future date. read more
