In the morning hours of October 19th, 2023, Delores Leona (Nelson) Leppert passed away in her home in Dickey, North Dakota. Delores died unexpectedly of natural causes.
Her passion for the Lord began at an early age and she never wavered in her strong faith and close relationship with God. This led her to attend Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she met Roger Stanley Leppert. They fell in love and were married on October 3, 1959 at First Lutheran Church, Ossian, Iowa. She moved with Roger to North Dakota to his family farm and ranch near Dickey, North Dakota. There she spent her life raising five children, making their house a home, and standing faithfully by Roger’s side until his passing in 2009. After Roger’s death, Delores continued to manage the family farm with her sons and grandchildren. Delores talked for hours and loved to tell stories; stories of her childhood, stories of struggles in her life, discussing politics, but always intertwining God’s love into every story she told.
Delores and Roger took many trips to western Montana. They vacationed there every fall where they would visit their land and friends – always returning with a pickup load of fresh fruit. It is near their land in Montana, in a small mountainside cemetery overlooking the valley, where she will be laid to rest beside her beloved Roger.
Delores was the third oldest of six children of Joseph and Clarice (Walvatne) Nelson. She was born on June 10, 1935 in a farm house in rural Ossian, Iowa. She attended Paulson Country grade school near Clermont. Delores would often recite stories of walking several miles, through the snow as a young child to attend school. When she was a teenager, she moved in with her Grandma and Grandpa Walvatne to help them on their farm. Even after moving away, Delores never forgot her Iowa and Norwegian roots; returning often. Delores spoke fondly of her childhood.
She graduated from West Union High School, where she returned to many reunions over the years – including one this past summer. After high school, Delores moved to Beresford, South Dakota and worked as a nursing aid at a senior home, and then to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she worked in a bookstore. Later in Cedar Rapids, Iowa she worked for Square D, assembling electrical boxes and then at an insurance agency. In 1958 she moved to Minneapolis to attend Lutheran Bible Institute.
Delores will be remembered for her amazing cakes, baked goodies, gardening and love of flowers, crocheting, sewing, quilting, painting and canning. Her cookie jar was always full, a delicious home cooked meal always on her stove, and her family-famous bread buns will never be forgotten. Her canine companions through the years, Sparkles, Twinkles and Mitze, brought her joy and were never far from her side.
Delores is preceded in death by her loving husband, Roger, her parents Joseph and Clarice, her brothers, Enoch, Henry “Hank”, and Kenneth “Kenny”, and her grandchildren, Matthew, Jesse and Mary.
Delores is survived by her 5 sons, Timothy, Joel, Daniel (Annette), Samuel (Laura), Mark, 29 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, her brother Milton “Mick” (Joyce), and sister Joanne, many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Delores welcomed everyone into her home. Her generous spirit, kindness and loyalty to her family will be remembered and cherished in the memories of all those who knew and loved her.
Delores, Ma, Grandma, we will always love you and will miss your hugs and your wisdom.
A Funeral Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday October 27, 2023 at the Williams Funeral Home in Edgeley, North Dakota. A graveside service will be held later at the Martin family private cemetery near Whitefish, Montana.