Delores June Winter was born June 25, 1940 to Charles and Hazel (Haney) Winter at Cannon Ball, ND.  Having come from Iowa, her father homesteaded in Dakota.  Also born in Iowa, her mother was a schoolteacher.  When Delores was five years old, her family relocated to Getchell Prairie Township north of Valley City.  She graduated from Noltimier High School in 1958.

Family credit her quick wit and humor to her Grandpa Haney’s Irish ancestry.  With her strong desire to travel, adventure followed her as she visited exciting and historical places in 27 countries.  Bull fights in Mexico, being chased by a bear in Romania, riding in a hot air balloon and being chased by an elephant in Africa were all big adventures.  Proud of her German, Danish and Irish heritage, she visited Germany four times.  A highlight of her travels was a visit to Moen Island, Denmark, which was the birthplace of her mom’s mother.

Delores held quite a variety of jobs throughout her life.  She worked at Mercy Hospital for seven years; five of those years were in the OB Department.  She worked as office manager at the Valley City Veterinary Hospital where she kept the docs on their toes for eighteen years.  Five of these same years she also worked evenings, weekends and holidays at the Sheyenne Care Center.  At the age of fifty, Delores decided to start a new career.  She had met Gary Deick from National Lodging and trained under him for motel management.  For the next eleven years she managed motels in South Dakota, Minnesota, and North Dakota.  When her health began to fail, she spent an enjoyable two years living in Fort Ransom, ND before returning to Valley City to be near family.  After her health improved, she worked part-time for several years at The Open Door Center.

During her many years as manager of the Super 8 Motel in Wahpeton, ND, she became active in a group called “Friends of the Refugees.”  They were a group of people with a compassion for helping families from several countries, mainly Russia and Yugoslavia.  Later on, after they became citizens, Delores made it possible for several of these refugees to visit their homeland.  They remained lifelong friends.  Delores’ devotion to helping them and doing for others made these some of the happiest years of her life.

Delores was happiest when working the hardest.  Hers was truly a good work ethic.  Honorable, always fair with a straightforwardness, she was compassionate and generous.  The creed that Delores lived by was expressed in her favorite poem:

Little Keys to Happiness

Work with joy.

Live with love.

Dream from your heart.

Share what you have.

Care deeply.

Be thankful always.

 

Delores was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, James, William, Richard, and infant brother, Joseph Patrick; brothers-in-law, Russell McKay and Ralph Noeske; and sister-in-law, Delores Clara Winter.

She is survived by sisters, Charlotte McKay and Helen Joy Noeske; sisters-in-law, Kay Winter and Carol Winter Bjorge; 16 nieces and nephews and their families who feel that everyone should be so fortunate as to have an Aunt Delores in their family; and special friends, Doctor and Mrs. William J. Magee.

Delores passed on her terms with courage and dignity on January 7, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Valley City at 80 years of age.  In compliance with her wishes, a memorial service is not planned.  A private family burial service and life celebration will be held at Memory Gardens at a later date.