Delores Luella DeSchepper, 74, Pipestone, formerly of Luverne, died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002, at Pipestone County Medical Center, Pipestone.
Services were Wednesday, Jan. 9, at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. The Rev. Martin Schaefer officiated. Burial was in St. Leo Catholic Cemetery.
Delores Emery was born to Olin and Alma (Steine) Emery on June 15, 1927, in Luverne. She was raised in the Luverne area where she received her education. She graduated from Luverne High School. After graduation she worked as a switchboard operator in Luverne.
She married Stanley R. DeSchepper on April 5, 1948, in Jasper. Following their marriage they farmed near Jasper until 1968 when they moved to Pipestone. Mr. DeSchepper died following a traffic accident on Oct. 18, 1973. She continued to live in Pipestone.
She met Emmett Sik in 1977. He helped her raise her remaining children while maintaining a lasting relationship. She owned and operated the Holland CafŽ and Bar in Holland before her retirement in October 1992. She was diagnosed with colon cancer seven months ago. She was admitted to Pipestone County Medical Center on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
Mrs. DeSchepper was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church of Pipestone. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary of Holland. She loved to do crafts, and she enjoyed traveling, camping and dancing. She also liked watching local stock car racing.
Survivors include her special friend, Emmett Sik, Pipestone; nine children, Karen Fritz, Red Wing, Steven (Diane) DeSchepper, Chancellor, S.D., Sandra Pedersen, Longmont, Colo., Michael (Valerie) DeSchepper, Dell Rapids, S.D., Kathy Holiway, Tracy, Thomas (Lori) DeSchepper, Pipestone, Terry (Brenda) DeSchepper, Bloomington, Todd (Jodi) DeSchepper, Spring, Texas, and Tracy (Billie) DeSchepper, Jasper; 23 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Ronald Emery, Sioux Falls, S.D., Dennis Emery, Newark, Calif., and Wayne (DyAnn) Emery, Inver Grove Heights; one sister, Myrna (Robert) Lange, Beaver Creek; one sister-in-law, Marge Emery, Woodstock; and Mr. Sik's three children, Lorraine Haken, Tyler, Allan Sik, Amarillo, Texas, and Cynthia (Lyle) Page, Pipestone.
Mrs. DeSchepper was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Stanley, one granddaughter, Teresa DeSchepper, and one brother, Marlen Emery.
Hartquist Funeral Chapel in Pipestone was in charge of arrangements.