Margaret "Teta" Fazendin

Fazendin, Margaret "Teta" Caesar Teta Fazendin, Age 100 of Wayzata, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 25, 2021. Preceded in death by Roger Fazendin, her husband of 51 years; grandson, Jed Rotzel; great granddaughter, Grace Fazendin, and her brothers, Owen and Ted. She was a beloved daughter, loving wife and mother of 5, grandmother of 14, and great-grandmother of 26. Teta was born in 1921 on her family's ranch south of Helena, Montana and had a lifelong love of the west. Her life began without electricity or plumbing. She was the third child and only daughter of Theodore and Nancy Perry Caesar. At four years old her family moved to Olympia, Washington where she grew up in the glorious shadow of Mt. Rainier. In her teen years, her parents and brothers built a small cabin on Puget Sound. There they enjoyed getting away for hikes in the forest, walks on the shore and digging clams. In 1942 she met a young soldier on a blind date, Lt. Roger Fazendin, who was stationed at Fort Lewis. Not long after, they were married at the Carmel Mission in California. Roger then shipped out with the U.S. Army 756th Tank Battalion, was involved in combat both in North Africa and Italy and was seriously wounded just before the battle of Casino. Roger survived his injuries and returned to his hometown of Minneapolis to join Teta, meet his first child, and start their lives together. Teta and family moved to Wayzata in 1951 where she assisted Roger in founding Roger Fazendin Realtors in 1965. Teta was fully involved in providing love and support to her five children. A scout mom, room mother and typist of endless term papers, she also indulged her children in helping raise rabbits and homing pigeons. She was a wizard with a sewing machine creating lots of outfits for her daughters. Nature and wilderness were very important to her and she passed this appreciation down to her children. She loved to picnic, hike and camp so the family enjoyed and still continues to enjoy many adventures born of that love. Teta's faith in God was important to her. She began and ended each day praying for every member of her large family by name. Helping others, especially the underdog, was a strong current in her life. She was active in her parish of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Wayzata. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR, and the Minneapolis Woman's Club. She was well known for her poetry in the Lake Minnetonka area as well as in Carefree, Arizona where she and Roger spent many winters. She was Poet Laureate of the Woman's Club of Carefree, Arizona and would zip around the small town on her Moped wearing her kelly green jacket and silver helmet. Teta lived a big, long life of which we are all proud. WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!! Margaret (Teta) is survived by her five children, Vicki (Spencer) Rotzel of Appleton, WI, Dan (Lynn) Fazendin of Wayzata, Nancy (Dott) Tsuchiya of Sun City, AZ, Sue (David) Haeg of Wayzata, and Heidi (Alan) Prahl of Appleton WI. The Fazendin family thanks the staff of St. Therese at Oxbow Lake Roadhouse in Brooklyn Park for the tender, loving care she received there. She was a fiercely independent woman who made it a point to never complain about her own discomforts, and to never miss the opportunity to make a pun or play on words. As one family member recalls, Teta "radiated unapologetic joy for her own eccentricities." Thank you for recognizing and honoring our mom's needs for care with dignity, and for enjoying her playful silliness. There will be a private family Mass at Holy Name Catholic Church in Medina, MN where she will be buried next to her husband Roger. Memorials: Smile Train, PO Box 96231, Washington, DC 90090-6231; St Labre Indian School, PO Box 216, Ashland, MT 59003-9989; Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, S.D. 577770; Covenant House, PO Box 97708 Washington, DC 90090-6708. David Lee Funeral Home Wayzata 952-473-5577

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