Darrell Wesley ‘Peanut’ DesJardins
ALPENA, MI – Darrell Wesley “Peanut” DesJardins, 66, of Alpena and Munising passed away Friday, August 30, at the Mid-Michigan Medical Center in Alpena surrounding by his family following a brief illness.
He was born fifth of 11 children to Lewis and Edith (Nybeck) DesJardins on June 20, 1953, in Munising, MI. He grew up on Powell’s Point in Grand Island Township and attended William G. Mather High School. He earned his GED and enlisted in the United States Army on March 3, 1972 and served in an infantry platoon in West Germany. Following his discharge on July 24, 1974, he returned to Munising and worked for John Bjork as a commercial fisherman. Though he worked most of his life in construction his heart was on Lake Superior and later in life he was again able to work as a hand on commercial fishing boats in Grand Marais.
On September 10, 1978, he married Kathleen Allen of Alpena and the couple settled on Powell’s Point where they raised their family. Though he lived for many years in Alpena he worked summers in Munising and was never more at peace than when camping on the family homestead or out on a boat on Lake Superior. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and enjoyed hunting, camping and two-tracking the U.P.’s back roads.
He is survived by his wife and soul mate of 41 years, Kathy (Allen) DesJardins, two children, Kristie (DJ) DesJardins of Rogers City, MI, and Bobby (Anthony) DesJardins of Alpena; five grandchildren – Justin, Rebecca, Wesley, Hunter and Rose and two great grandchildren – Lilly and Kinlan; four sisters – Linda Cotey and Judy (Scott) DesJardins of Munising, MI, Cindy (Tom) Moseley of Marquette, MI, and Tammy (Scott Wyman) VanLandschoot of Gladstone, MI, five brothers – Pat (Xiaoqin) and Tim (Dawn Marie) of Seattle, WA, Duane (Charoen) of Lake Geneva, WI, Rod (Shawna) and Terry (Ree) of Munising, MI, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his oldest brother Mike “Whitey” DesJardins and his Aunt, Jean Gollinger, with whom he shared a special love and devotion to their ancestral home at Powell’s Point and on Grand Island. Their spirits walk together again, side by side.
The family is being served by the Karpus-Hunter Funeral Home in Alpena. Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 14, at 10:00am, followed by a memorial service at 11:00am at the United Methodist Church in Munising. American Legion Post #131 in will provide military honors at the church followed by interment in the family cemetery on Grand Island.