Shannon Marie Tesch, age 56 of Watertown, passed away on Friday, April 24, 2026 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls after a brief battle with cancer.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown. Visitation will be held prior to the service at the church from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Burial will be held at the Tesch Family Cemetery in Esteline, following lunch after the service in Watertown.
Shannon was born on March 28, 1970 in Dickinson, N.D. to Richard Gott and Gloria (Anderson) Gott. She attended Winner High School in Winner, S.D. and at the age of 18 moved to Clark, S.D. with her mother. During this time, she worked various jobs while pursing her education. Shannon graduated from Lake Area Technical College in 2005 with a degree in Marketing and Business Management.
On November 14, 2008, Shannon married Roger Tesch at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. The couple made their home in Watertown, where Shannon worked in sales before joining Spartronics. She enjoyed her work there and formed many lasting friendships with her coworkers.
Shannon found great joy in gardening and reading. She had a natural talent for art and photography and saw beauty in the little things. She truly loved spending time with her family and friends, and nothing meant more to her than the moments she shared with her two son, Bradey and Zack.
Shannon will be remembered for her kindness, generosity and thoughtful gifts. She had a gentle spirit and was always willing to help anyone in need. This compassion shone brightly in her deep love for animals, especially her beloved dogs, Sadie and Sunni. Her beautiful smile and warm presence will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Roger; her two sons, Bradey Cornelius of Watertown and Zack Mehlberg of Rochester, N.Y.; sisters Tonya Gott and Jaime Anderson; brother Todd Sager; stepmother Barbara Gott; uncles Richard Anderson and Jim Anderson; aunts Doris Rydel, Karen Daniel and Debbie Freeman; brothers-in-law Jim Tesch, Joe (Marlys) Tesch and Russ (Cheryl) Tesch; sister-in-law Kathy Tesch; nieces Ashlynne Gross, Taryn Rhey and Kennedy Tesch; nephew Nick (Erin) Tesch; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Gloria; her infant brother, Charles; her in-laws, Kenneth and Bernadine (Perry) Tesch; nephew Charlie Tesch; and her faithful companion of many years, her dog Mattie.
