Debra Ann (Pelzel) Windschitl, the daughter of Robert and Mercedes (Gulden) Pelzel, was born on May 13, 1960, in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The oldest of six children, Debra attended school and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sleepy Eye. Following graduation, Debra attended Alexandria Technical College where she earned an Associates of Arts degree in business.
Debra met Joseph Windschitl in high school, and they were united in marriage on June 6, 1980, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. This union was blessed with two daughters, Cassandra and Shelby. In addition to raising their daughters, Debra was the manager for the local Casey’s General Store for over 30 years, seeing the building of both stores from the ground up. After retiring from Casey’s, Debra worked at Schutz Family Foods in the floral department, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Community was important to Debra, and she was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church as well as a treasurer for Miss Sleepy Eye for a number of years. Creativity came naturally to Debra, and she loved all kinds of craft projects. Debra’s greatest joys in life were being a wife, mom, and nana. She loved her family immensely, made everyone and their activities a priority, and never missed an opportunity to support those she loved. Debra lived for holidays, tradition, and simply being together. She was pretty fond of her grand-furbabies and the Minnesota Vikings, too. Debra will be loved forever and missed beyond measure.
Debra is survived by her husband of 43 years, Joseph Windschitl; daughters, Cassandra (Emmanuel) Saye and Shelby (Nicole) Neudecker; grandchildren, Emmanuel Saye III, Xavier Saye, and Maliya Saye; parents, Robert and Mercedes Pelzel; siblings, Larry (Lisa) Pelzel, Barb (Tim) Weicherding, Linda (David) Reinarts, Rhonda (Brian) Sieve, and Lisa Pelzel; many nieces and nephews; and other loving relatives and friends.
Debra was preceded in death by her parents-in-law, Jerome and Rita Windschitl; nephew, Samuel Pelzel; and niece, Abby Windschitl.