Delores was born July 17, 1930 in Batesland, SD to Benjamin and Esther Conroy, where she was raised outside of town with her siblings. Delores married James Frank Blackketter December 25, 1949 and from this union, was blessed with six children. In her younger years on various homestead farms in SD, she became an accomplished baker, making loaves of bread, cinnamon rolls, cookies and cakes. Her family enjoyed many home cooked meals, with her ability to “cook from scratch”. She also served as an Avon representative for a few years. She had a myriad of creative talents, mainly self taught, from being a seamstress, including sewing her own lined long winter wool green coat, to sketching and coloring flowers and painting ceramics. To make her smile with delight, bringing her a surprise bouquet flowers, especially roses, usually prompted a hug and kiss from her. Despite her modest income, she invested in charities, including religious organizations as well as veterans, providing decades of support to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
In 1987, Jim and Delores moved to Denver where she was employed as an administrative assistant and managed apartments for many years with her husband in the Denver metro area. After moving to Colorado, she became an avid sports enthusiast, cheering on her beloved Broncos and Rockies.
Delores was a beautiful lady, always humble and kind, and lived her life by her values, forever devoted to her family and embracing all with love and acceptance. She made an effort to remember birthdays of loved ones with cards or a phone call, and sometimes, if you were lucky, she sang Happy Birthday to you. She is survived by her sister Norma Bartlett, Potlatch, ID, children Linda Vande Weerd (John) Bruce, SD, Debra Hedin (Charles) Lakewood, CO, Darrell Blackketter, Winona, MN, Jerry Blackketter, Estelline, SD and John Blackketter, (Valerie) Ignacio, CO, 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband James, brothers Delbert, Melvin and Orville Conroy, sisters Sophie Hanneman and Aileen Lester, son Robert Blackkketter, granddaughter Aria Franklin.
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