Geraldine "Geri" Leona Desjarlais, 68, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on January 22, 2026.

Born on October 14, 1957, Geraldine experienced both hardship and strength early in life. At the age of seven, she attended boarding school, where she stayed until she was ten years old. She attended Detroit Lakes Vocational Technical College for fashion merchandising. Later in life, she returned to work at the Wahpeton Boarding School. Her journey shaped her into the fierce, loving woman her family knew-a true wildfire of a woman who loved deeply and lived fully.

Geri was a devoted mother, nana, and great-grandmother. Her love for her children, grandchildren and great grandbabies was overflowing and unconditional. She was so proud of each and every one of them, often bragging about them to her neighbors and friends. Her family meant everything to her, and her walls were covered with pictures of all the people she loved most.

Geraldine Leona Desjarlais was a strong, brave, sweet, and compassionate woman who lived a full and beautiful life. Today we gather not only to mourn her passing, but to celebrate the incredible woman she was and the love she gave so freely.

She always encouraged her children to be strong, be brave, and to remember to keep their chins up. She was a woman who withstood every storm she endured, facing life with resilience and grace.

Geri enjoyed the simple joys of life. She loved spending time in her garden with friends, hosting sleepovers with her grandchildren, coloring, doing puzzles, and playing Yahtzee. She had many friends in her community and was known for helping take care of her neighbors. A true social butterfly, she made everyone feel seen and welcomed. She had a special gift-she could turn any house into a home.

Geraldine was blessed with seven beautiful children. Two of her children went before her and are now in heaven, reunited with their mother. We find comfort in knowing they are together again.

Geraldine is survived by her children, Crystal (Forrest) Dodd, Ashley (Jeremy Doran) Renney, Megan (Armando DeLaCruz) Moran, Amber Lund, and Caleb (Maisie) Lund; brothers, Lawrence (Sherry) Desjarlais and Ralph (Becky) Desjarlais; sisters, Myrnabell (John) Smith and Cindy (John) Weber; 21 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and goddaughter, Lita Doran. She was united in Heaven with her parents, Gabriel Desjarlais Sr. and Violet (St. Claire) Desjarlais; her children, Justin and Patricia Moran; her granddaughter, Layla Tadlock; sisters, Judy Wolter and Loretta Desjarlais and brothers, Robert Desjarlais and Gabriel Desjarlais Jr.

Though our hearts are heavy, we hold on to the love she gave us and the lessons she taught us. We know she is in Heaven now, preparing a beautiful place for the rest of us. Her legacy lives on through her family, her strength, and the countless lives she touched.

She will be deeply missed and forever loved.

Your momma may have been wild, but she was yours. She had her own flavor, her own spark, her own way of moving through this world. And that kind of spirit doesn’t just disappear. It lives on in the stories you tell, in the parts of you that are just like her, and even in the parts of you that learned from her.

Not every mother fits into a quiet, polished, cookie-cutter box. Some are loud. Some are fearless. Some say what everyone else is thinking. Some laugh too hard, love too big, and refuse to be tamed. Those women leave stories behind. They leave impact. They leave fire in the people who loved them.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 1:00 to 7:00 PM, at Grace United Methodist Church, Moorhead, MN.