Dessa Stautzenberger

Dessa W Stautzenberger joined the Lord on June 4th, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Dessa was born in San Antonio, Texas to Walter and Odessa Roach on July 24th, 1948. She was the first of four children. Dessa was a devout servant of Christ and spent her time spreading God’s love to everyone she encountered. She met her husband, James Stautzenberger on Easter Sunday at Lakehills Baptist Church in 1966. They fell in love and were married nearly five months later, on a beautiful day in August. Dessa and James welcomed two children, James Dennis Stautzenberger (1968) and Judith Denise Berro (1971), into the world with all the love in their hearts.

With a servant’s heart, Dessa’s life revolved around nurturing her children. She was employed at the school cafeteria to keep her schedule in line with theirs. She also spent many years working as a saleswoman for Home Interiors & Gifts making friends with everyone she met along the way. Nothing brought Dessa more joy than spending time with her grandchildren. She devoted countless hours to making every moment spent with them special. Even at times of poor health she attended every sports game, volunteered in their schools, baked cookies with them, and never failed to show up when they needed her.

Dessa was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. She had a special gift of creating deep and personal connections with everyone she met. She loved people deeply and honestly. She was strong and never backed down from even life’s toughest battles. She was always a fighter. She left everyone she touched a little better than she found them with her love for the life and positive attitude. She loved her family and friends very much.

Dessa is preceded in death by her parents Walter and Odessa Roach and survived by her husband of 58 years, James Stautzenberger, her son and daughter in law, James and Lisa Stautzenberger, her daughter and son in law Benson and Judie Berro, her grandchildren James Daniel Stautzenberger, Jenah Stautzenberger, Jason Stautzenberger, Abby Berro, and Aaron Berro, and her great grandson Nolan James Stautzenberger. She also leaves behind her brothers who she adored dearly, among them are Walter (Dicky), David, and Jesse Roach.

“But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.”

- Psalm 49:15