LeeAnn Currey

On the peaceful afternoon of October 17, 2025, our mother, LeeAnn Carol Currey, age 68, of Watertown, SD, passed away surrounded by the love of her family. This was the day she was welcomed into the arms of her Savior and took her place among God's heavenly angels. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 27, 2025, at Cornerstone Church in Watertown.
Visitation will be prior to the service on Monday starting at 9:00 a.m.
Burial will be at Hendricks Cemetery, in Hendricks, MN.
Mom will be greatly missed by: our dad Ron, who has been her rock and companion and stood by her side for more than 47 years of marriage; her daughters, Emily (Chad) Kiel and Abby (Nate) Steer; sister Debbie Hulsebus and family; and 6 precious grandchildren who adored her to the moon and back a million times over (Kolton, Hope, Violet, Evelyn, Westyn, and Isla), along with so many wonderful friends that are our family and all of her colleagues.
Our mom was born in Hendricks, Minnesota on September 19, 1957, and raised a farm kid. She was one of four girls in the home; where working hard and pitching in were values that ran deep. Where chores started before sunrise and resilience was learned by doing. From an early age, she understood the meaning of showing up, digging in, and giving her best, no matter the task.
She went on to graduate from Hendricks High School in 1976. Soon after, she moved to Watertown, South Dakota, to follow a calling she had felt since childhood - to care for others and pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She studied hard, and in 1977, proudly earned her credentials as a Licensed Practical Nurse from Lake Area Technical Institute. Her schooling was free and she was the first in her family to advance her future and attend a higher education degree.
She served as a nurse in the Watertown community – first at St. Anne's Hospital which was later named Prairie Lakes Healthcare System – for nearly 50 years!
County Fair Foods in uptown Watertown was not just a second job to mom,
but a second home. It began over 33 years ago when she first started on September 25, 1992, three years after Jeff and Annette Gamber bought the store. She loved this place! And everyone there loved her too. She was always making someone smile with such a great attitude. Mom was so good to everyone who came through those doors. Jeff Gamber told us, "She was the face of County Fair." Her beautiful soul made everyone's day a bit brighter.
Another desire of her heart was when she spent time working as a resident assistant/medical aide at StonyBrook from Dec. 21, 2015 through May 1, 2020. She was always willing to help out with picking up shifts and the residents there enjoyed her so much. Just another example of her hard work ethic and her call to care for others.
Throughout her decades of service, she touched countless lives with her gentle hands and kind heart. Whether she was offering comfort in times of crisis, advocating for patients, or mentoring young nurses just entering the field, our mom gave her very best to every person she encountered. She never sought recognition for her work. Instead, she saw herself simply as a vessel - someone willing to go where the Lord called her, trusting Him to use her gifts for His glory. Her career was not just a profession - it was the Lord's calling for her to serve in this way. Because for her - nursing was a ministry. Her care extended far beyond her profession - to her family, neighbors, church community, strangers, and others in need. Mom lived her life as a faithful servant, always putting others before herself, always showing up with compassion, and always giving more than she ever asked for in return. She was selfless and loving until the end.
It wasn't long after mom met dad, that she knew she was going to spend the rest of her life with him. They were married on May 13, 1978. Together, they built a quiet, and meaningful life rooted in shared values: faith, family, hard work, and the simple joys of everyday moments. After marrying, they bought our one and only home that they filled with love, togetherness, and the comfort steadiness of a life well-lived. This is where they raised us girls. She poured her heart into motherhood with the same gentle strength she gave to everything that she did – all with patience, presence, and unconditional love.
Mom loved her life, and even more so as Gaga and Nana. She would drop everything to be there for her grandkids, whether in northern Minnesota with the Steer kiddos or out west with Kolton. Her bond with each of them was deep, unique, and unforgettable - a love that will live on in their hearts forever.
Above all else, mom was a woman of deep and unwavering faith. Her love for the Lord was the foundation of her life and a guiding light for her family and all who knew her. From an early age, she committed her heart to God and walked in His grace throughout every season of her life. One of the most powerful expressions of her devotion to the Lord was her heart for missions, especially during her time spent in Cuba, which was also her first time in another country. She loved being able to bring the hope of Christ to others. It was during her time in Cuba that she was baptized in the name of the Lord in the ocean and renewed her forever faith. She said to us, "I felt so close to Jesus." It was here that she spent time playing baseball with the youth and they all got really good haircuts! A memory that will forever be remembered.
Her legacy of faith is one that continues through us, our dad, our children, and all those who were blessed to witness her walk with the Lord. She lived out her faith through quiet acts of kindness, selfless service, and a spirit of gratitude that touched everyone she met. She taught us a life of gratitude. And we take comfort in knowing that she is now in the presence of her Savior, and grateful he has called her to her forever home.
Mom was the most excited to see her own mother, Violet Brinkman, upon entering the gates of heaven. She told us so herself. This is where she will also meet up with her father, Eddie, and two younger sisters, Terry and Amy. What a beautiful reunion that will be for them all.
Mom will be missed deeply. And by so many. Because for a lot of us - she was the one we called first - in joy, in crisis, or just because we needed to hear her voice. As a mother, wife, nurse, sister, friend, Gaga, Nana, aunt, faithful servant, and neighbor, she served so many roles - and in each of these roles, she showed up fully, faithfully, and with fierce love.
While cancer ultimately took her life, she bravely fought it until the end – giving it everything she had. She fought so hard, for so long. And now she can rest.
"One day I will see you all again."
LeeAnn Currey on 10.08.2025
Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown and Hayti
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