Dana Jeannette Cebulak, 50, Hermann, passed from this life Dec. 13, 2020, in her home outside of Mt. Sterling/Bay after a prolonged battle with metastatic breast cancer.
She was born Nov. 3, 1970, at Hermann Area District Hospital in Hermann to Sharon Leeper (Eggert) and Robert Leeper.
She was the wife of Troy Cebulak. They were united in marriage June 17, 1995. He survives in the home.
Dana worked at Frene Valley Nursing Home in Hermann as well as the New Florence nursing home. She worked at Scholastic and Walmart in Jefferson City. But, Dana spent the greater part of her adult life serving as a full-time caregiver to her husband, children, parents and grandparents. When all of her children grew older and began school, Dana returned to the workforce and served as a school cook in both the Gasconade County R-I and R-II school districts. She was the Kitchen Manager at Owensville Elementary School when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in April 2015. She loved her job and the people she worked with, and it broke her heart when she had to leave her position as her illness progressed.
Dana poured her entire heart and soul into her family. She was an amazing wife, mother and friend, and she shared a special and unique bond with each of her children. She enjoyed being a caregiver and homemaker to everyone and everything. She spent countless hours cooking and cleaning for her family and friends. She rescued, nurtured, and raised countless orphaned and abandoned animals. She loved the outdoors and mowing grass for her Grandma and Grandpa Eggert. She enjoyed spending time on the river kayaking and fishing with her husband and children. She loved talking with and spending time with her friends. She loved spending time playing with her grandson Asher.
Dana was filled with so much love for everyone and everything. She always put others before herself, and even in her final hours she wanted to keep fighting to stay with her family despite the pain she had been enduring for the past five years. She loved her husband, children and grandchild, “Bug,” so deeply that words cannot adequately capture her affection. She fought a long, hard battle to try to stay with her family for as long as possible. Her absence can never be filled, and the family will never be the same. But they are grateful that she can finally rest without pain for the first time in years. She will be so dearly missed.
Dana is survived by her husband, Troy Cebulak; her three children, Brittni Cebulak, Megan Cebulak and Wesley Cebulak; her grandson, Asher Mercado; her mother, Sharon Leeper; her two sisters, Dawn Thornhill and Shannon Dieckman (Danny); her mother- and father-in-law, Bonnie (Ritchey) and Denis Cebulak; six nieces, Alyssa Shelby (Marcus), Courtney Thomas, Danyelle Dieckman, Koren Cebulak, Kimberly Denton and Kalah Brooks; and nephew, Devon Dieckman.
Dana was preceded in death by her infant son, Wyatt Joseph Cebulak; her father, Robert Joseph Leeper; her grandparents, Irene (Boesch) and Walter Eggert and Alice (Schellhammer) and James Leeper; three aunts, Bonnie Wehemeyer. Myrna Krattli and Jevota Fulghum; and two uncles, James Leeper and Greg Leeper.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 17, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home in Hermann, where funeral services will follow at 12:30 p.m., with Rev. Denis Cebulak officiating.
Burial will be at Oak Haven Memorial Gardens, Hermann. Memorials may be given to Hermann Area Crusade Against Cancer.
