Delores Audrey Schmidt, 86, Pipestone, died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, at the Pipestone Medical Center.
A funeral Mass was Saturday, Sept. 4, at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. Interment was in St. Leo Catholic Cemetery in Pipestone.
Delores Staeffler was born on Feb. 14, 1935, to Alfred and Rosa (Wahlert) Staeffler in Luverne. She was raised on a farm east of Hardwick and attended school in District No. 55. She then attended Luverne High School, graduating in 1953. Following graduation she worked for an insurance agency in Luverne. In 1955 she became employed at the Rock County Extension Office.
On June 29, 1957, Delores married John Schmidt at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. They lived on a farm in Sweet Township in Pipestone County. She worked at the Pipestone County Extension Office until the birth of her first child. She then became a homemaker and also raised poultry and sold eggs. In 1968 she began working as a secretary at the Pipestone Insurance Agency and earned her insurance license in 1982. When Latham Insurance purchased the business, she joined the Key Agency in Pipestone until her retirement in 1999. In retirement she worked part time for Farm Bureau Insurance Agency, Pipestone Vet Clinic and D’s Sanitation.
Delores was baptized June 2, 1935 at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Luverne and was confirmed in 1947 at Zion Lutheran Church in Hardwick. She was currently a member of St. Leo Catholic Church and was a member of Ladies Aid and a circle leader. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Hi Neighbor Birthday Club and the Pipestone Senior Citizens. She enjoyed following the Minnesota Twins, baking, and playing solitaire on the computer. She especially enjoyed time with her family.
She is survived by her husband, John E. Schmidt, of Pipestone; three children, John A. (Joyce) Schmidt of Pipestone, Joan (Barry) Kelley of LeRaysville, Pennsylvania, and Jacqueline (Danny) Schaefer of Marshall; six grandchildren, Jenna (Patrick) McGunegill, Amber (Brad) Seiss, Brittney Schaefer, Shelby (Steven) Buchholz, Addy Schaefer, and Jason (Rebecca) Kelley; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Virgil Staeffler; her sister-in-law Marjorie Staeffler; her nephew Larry Staeffler; and her niece Sandra Vander Beek.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Pipestone, hartquistfuneral.com.
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