Delores Maxine Laursen

Family and friends, be thankful today. She's still close beside you, in a new special way.. Delores Maxine (Arends) Laursen, 67, (formally of Scottsbluff) joined the heavenly choir on Friday, December 11, 2009, at Hemingford Community Care Center in Hemingford, NE. On June 15, 1942, at their home in Minatare, John & Eunice Arends were blessed with a bundle of pink joy, Delores Maxine. The oldest of 3 girls. Delores was a big sister to Valorie and Joy. She enjoyed her early years in Minatare, with everything it offered: Strong Family-Values and Faith. Delores was a proud member of the graduating class of 1960 at Minatare High School. Her various career aspirations yielded a talent & passion for banking. On April Fools Day 1972, she eloped with Richard Laursen to Powell, WY. They shared the love of country life on their farm/ranch north of Alliance. Their daughter Jennifer Jayne Laursen, Delores's pride & joy, was born on May 20th, 1975. In 1981, Delores & Jennifer embarked on a new adventure and returned to Scottsbluff. Delores worked for Gering National Bank from 1981 to 1986. Then from August 1, 1986, until retirement on May 23, 2008, she was employed by Platte Valley Companies. These years were filled with many treasures: friendships, laughter, tears & recipes. Delores’s grandchildren, Kristina, Cody & Casey, gave their grandma many reasons to boast & brag! The pride & love she felt was enormous and she was more than happy to share that with everyone around her. Delores was a woman that performed all her titles with pride: Daughter, Wife, Aunt, Mother, Grandmother, Friend, Co-Worker, Business Woman, Comedian & Smile Maker. And since 2006 a Cancer Fighter! In 2006, Delores was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Through many treatments & tests, through many operations and procedures, the last being the one that gave her control of the very disease she never asked for, She decided to spend Christmas with Jesus this year... Heaven’s welcoming committee includes: her Grandmothers, Cora Loutzenhiser and Katie (Messman) Arends, her mother Eunice Maxine (Loutzenhiser) Arends, her sisters Valorie Jean (Arends) Maul and Joylene (Arends) Swartwood. Lessons of her life are left to her surviving family: her daughter, Jennifer Jayne (Eric) Lashley of Hemingford; grandchildren: Kristina Renea Kramer, Cody Richard Laursen and Casey Michael Lashley all of Hemingford; her father, John Henry Arends of Scottsbluff; Nieces & Nephews & many Friends. Please join us for a Celebration of Delores's life at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, December 17, 2009, at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff with Pastor Jake Roberts officiating. Inurnment will be in the East Lawn Cemetery at Minatare. A memorial has been established in care of the family.