Gerald "Koko" H. DeChaine, a lifelong Brainerd resident has passed away peacefully, after a long battle with dementia, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Edgewood Vista.

Born on April 21, 1942, to Henry and Elaine (Rakow) DeChaine, Koko went to Brainerd Schools and he proudly graduated from Brainerd High School. He worked a few different jobs until he was hired at Potlatch. After 35 years, he retired from Potlatch in 2003.

As the years went on and life slowed down just a little, Koko only became more devoted to family. If you needed a hand, he was there. If you needed a whole garage? Also there. If you needed a babysitter? He'd have the pancake batter ready before you finished dialing the number. Everything he did, he did with love—and usually a well-timed joke.

Koko knew how to enjoy life. He found peace in the woods, joy on the lake, satisfaction on the golf course, and a certain sparkle in the glow of a Keno screen. He had an unmatched ability to make others laugh, often without even trying, and he lived every day teaching those around him one of his favorite lessons: "Be a good person." Simple, but he proved it was more than enough.

He also had a special gift for sharing "treasures" he'd collected over the years. No one ever left his house empty-handed—whether it was a tool, a trinket, or something you definitely didn't need but he insisted you'd thank him for later.

Koko will be dearly missed by his children: Thomas (Jayme) DeChaine, Todd (Sharon) DeChaine, Leslie (Scott) Dillenburg, Tracey (David) Wallin, and Jerry (Krystal) DeChaine; his 18 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and siblings Gayle Borg and Dan DeChaine.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Terry; and sisters Sharon, Charlene, and Marilyn.

Koko's family will forever be grateful for the loving care bestowed upon him by the staff at Edgewood Vista and by St. Croix Hospice, whose kindness and compassion brought comfort to both him and his family.

A Celebration of Koko's Life will be held on Friday, December 5th at 11:00 a.m. at Nelson–Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd. Family and friends are encouraged to gather one hour prior to the service and stay for a luncheon to follow. Interment will take place at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Brainerd.

If love, laughter, and a lifetime of generosity could've kept him here longer, Koko would've outlived us all. His family finds comfort in knowing he's probably already found the best fishing spot in heaven—and is telling someone up there to "be a good person," too.