DeAnn Brannaman

DeAnn BrannAman

Cedar Rapids

DeAnn Louise Gerdeman Brannaman, 75, died unexpectedly Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, at UnityPoint-St. Luke's Hospital, surrounded by many family and friends. She passed gently from sepsis, a complication of ongoing cancer treatment.

Per DeAnn’s wishes, she has been cremated by Cedar Memorial and her ashes have been included with her beloved dogs, Sparky, Mogo, Bandit and Starr, along with many others. There will be no funeral service but please join her family and many friends for a fun and

lively celebration of life party on the beautiful Iowa River on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 3040 Riverfront Estates, Iowa City.

DeAnn was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Dec. 24, 1946, to Rudolph and Velma (Cunningham) Gerdeman. With her parents and two brothers, Richard and Robert (Gail) Gerdeman, both of Colorado, she grew up with what she always called “a charmed” family life. In kindergarten, DeAnn

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t Julie Stueve and became lifelong friends. In grade school, they met Nancy Dyckes and added her to the fold, becoming a trio of

“besties” whose friendship would continue over the span of DeAnn’s entire life.

DeAnn was the proud mother of her two children, Jason Curtis Madison and Michelle DeAnn Madison-Crawford, both gifts from her first husband Curt

Madison. Her greatest joy came from the love of her children. DeAnn raised them in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and delighted when all of their friends called her

“Mom”! In 2003, she and her family suffered the sudden, devastating loss of her son, Jason. Though she tried to move on, life would never be the same. She found eventual respite, moving to a home on the Cedar River in Sutliff with her former second husband Mike Brannaman and all of her dogs. In 2008, they lost their home in the flood. She then moved to Cedar Rapids.

DeAnn adored her grandchildren and every moment spent with them was nothing short of heaven. From a recent scary-fun driving lesson with her grandson Cadence Madison, to saving a painted turtle off of a road with granddaughter Cerra (Austin) Oberbreckling, DeAnn’s hope was that they remember these

experiences with a smile. Alicia and Ashley Madison along with Lily and Madison Crawford round out

her grandkid brood. She also was blessed with five great-grandchildren.

DeAnn worked hard and supported herself over the years as a customer service representative for AT&T, Toyota Financial, GE Capital and most recently B

MO. Many of her co-workers became lifelong friends, going to dinner frequently and even making it a “party” when it was time to purchase wigs for her chemotherapy!

Her illness did not define her. She never let it slow her down or break her spirit. Rather, she worked around it, maintaining a full-time job and her never-ending duties at Critter Crusaders. We thank Dr. Buntinas and her amazing staff for supporting DeAnn both physically and emotionally. They were a true lifeline.

DeAnn’s greatest passion, besides her children and grandkids, was her unconditional love of animals. Her heart and soul were permeated with an overwhelming concern for homeless, sick, injured, abused and

neglected dogs and cats. In 2007, she turned her focus to becoming one of the first volunteers ever allowed at Cedar Rapids Animal Control on Otis Road. This notoriously high kill control facility was just beginning the process of a humane transformation with the help of the Cedar Rapids Police Department and City Council. This is where DeAnn met Jan Erceg, along with many other advocate volunteers who were there to save as many animals as possible. DeAnn and Jan quickly became best friends and a life-saving team, paying for medical and surgical procedures for animals in the facility. The hope was to make these challeng

ed pets adoptable and it worked! This partnership became the very beginning of Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids, an animal medical and surgical non-profit

formed in 2008, dedicated to saving the lives of the most vulnerable homeless pets through shelters and rescues. This organization was DeAnn’s focus and true love. She also continued her work at Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control, now a city shelter the community can be proud of.

Over the years, DeAnn’s ferocious passion saved the lives of thousands of dogs and cats through Critter Crusaders and many partner rescues. She mad

e a name for herself within the rescue and shelter community, touching many lives with her kindness and reso

lve. At the time of her passing, she was the long-term Chairperson of Critter Crusader’s and her sudde

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absence has affected all who loved and admired her. A successful life can be defined by moments of great sorrow followed by incredible resilience, humility an

d compassion. DeAnn lived her life with these traits and crossed that beautiful Rainbow Bridge reuniting with her son, parents, her many dogs and all of the grateful animals she saved throughout her life. We can only imagine her joy. You are so loved and missed.