Deanna Quamme

Deanna Lea (Snorek) Quamme, age 85, passed away peacefully at home on January 18, 2026, with her beloved husband of 66 years, Carlton, by her side.

Deanna was born on March 3, 1940, in Yuba, Wisconsin, where she spent her early childhood on a rural farm. She later moved to Madison to attend Monona Grove High School, where she completed her education, met Carlton Leroy Quamme, and married him on October 3, 1959. Together, they raised all six of their children in Madison before moving to Colorado in 1973 and then to Montana in 1980, where they built a life centered on family, faith, and community.

It was during her marriage to Carlton that Deanna fell in love with the Catholic faith, and she was a devoted member of St. Francis Xavier Parish for 46 years.

Deanna worked throughout her life as a homemaker, home health care provider, and realtor. Her greatest calling, however, was caring for her family and creating a home filled with warmth, hospitality, and faith.

She will be remembered for her extraordinary devotion to family, especially her passion for gathering everyone together for large holiday celebrations and summer picnics. These gatherings always included an abundance of food, especially desserts, which were her love language—and her beloved tradition of staged family photos. Deanna lovingly preserved family memories through an astonishing digital photo archive of nearly 70,000 images. Using that archive, she personally created birthday and anniversary cards from Hallmark, as well as home-made photo ornaments for every child, grandchild, great-grandchild, great-great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews. Until the very end, she made sure no birthday, holiday, anniversary, or special moment went unmarked.

Deanna often said that all her children were her favorites—but none more than the other—a reflection of the deep, equal love she had for each of them.

Grandsons Kenny, Kory, Jeffrey, David, Brandon, Tyrell, Benjamin, Taylor, and Jesse will serve as honorary pallbearers in her memory.

Deanna is survived by her husband, Carlton Leroy Quamme; her children Susanne Quamme, Cheryl Nixon (Jeff), Carlton Quamme (Shannon), Brian Quamme (Robin), Allyson Lipscomb (Brian), and Andrea Dahlberg (Doug); her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; her brother Richard Snorek (Mary Jo); her sister Rhonda Meland (Rick); and her sister/niece, Kim Trumm (Jim). She was preceded in death by her mother, Pauline; father, Richard; stepfather, Dale; her sisters Judy and Colleen; two nephews, Rick and Jimmy; and one great-grandchild, Bryce.

May she rest in the peace of Christ and rise in glory.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests help in feeding the world’s hungry children through a donation to Catholic Relief services, in her memory.

May she rest in the peace of Christ and rise in glory.