Delores Strange, 95, passed away Monday, April 8th 2024 at Memory Health and Wellness in Liberty, MO. Visitation will be 1-2pm, Saturday, April 20 at Fairview Road Community of Christ Church, 1111 S Fairview Road Columbia, MO with the funeral service beginning at 2pm. Graveside service will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, 1217 Business Loop 70 West Columbia, MO.
Delores Strange was cherished by her family. All were welcome in her home where she loved to prepare delicious meals, and thoroughly enjoyed the visiting and conversations around her beautiful and bountiful table. All her guests felt like family.
She was an excellent storyteller and an avid reader. She loved to tell her children and grandchildren exciting and interesting stories of her childhood, history and nature. She always held the complete attention of the room.
Delores Strange was born June 6, 1928 in Bonaparte, Iowa to Elmer Elra and Florence Clarabelle (Hervey) Mellen. She had a happy childhood on her extended family farm in Iowa. She enjoyed walking to a one room schoolhouse, riding her pony, and walking the rabbit traps with her brother, Bruce. She had a dog, Laddie, she loved. Delores spent hours playing by a creek with Bruce and Edith, her cousin. As a teen, her family moved to Missouri where they had goats, and she had a little cat, Topsie.
Delores attended High School in Washington, Missouri. She was awarded the Hallmark Cards Inc. Art Scholarship for the State of Missouri. Her father didn’t feel an artist was a proper occupation for a woman, so she didn’t accept the scholarship. Delores was very creative, and her creativity is reflected in the generations of her family descendants. Delores attended Hannibal – LaGrange College and received an associate degree.
Delores met Walter Strange while attending the University of Missouri and they quickly fell in love. While at UMC she was a homecoming queen candidate representing the school of agriculture. She graduated from UMC with a degree in Home Economics.
After Graduation, she was employed as a County Home Extension Agent where she walked up to homes in rural Missouri and asked the people who lived there if she could teach them about health, food preparation, canning and life improvement skills. That year she was the only women Home Extension Agent in Missouri, so the state decided to hire an escort for her safety. Delores kept her passion for health and nutrition her entire life.
On February 28, 1953, Delores married Walter Strange, the love of her life. They lived in Columbia Missouri as Walter attended graduate school. That year she joined the Community of Christ Church and remained a devoted member all her life.
Delores raised a loving family of eight daughters, just ten years apart in age. Life was always active and exciting in the “Strange” home. Delores was a skilled seamstress. She could design patterns and would fashion and sew matching dresses, assisted by her mother Florence, for all the daughters every Christmas and Easter. Sometimes the dolls even had dresses that matched. The fabric was always meticulously chosen for beauty and quality. She was very particular about her sewing stitches. The girls always looked beautiful.
In 1970 Walter bought Delores her dream home. She had admired it since her college days. Delores loved to decorate. She said, in her home, “No matter where the eye lights, it should always land on something interesting”. Along with Walter, Delores gardened, canned, made honey, and pies from their apple tree. Together they were involved in fundraisers for their church, scouting, and the community. Delores worked behind the scenes for the fundraisers, preparing sandwiches and goodies. All fundraisers were very successful.
Amongst the many family outings, a favorite were the times the family gathered at Table Rock Lake where they had a cabin cruiser named the "Delores".
Walter passed away unexpectedly, when he was 56. Delores missed him terribly, turning her efforts to her grandchildren. She took them hiking and on trips. Lots of adventures were had by all.
As Delores aged, she never lost her sweet nature. She was always kind, accepting and loving to all. She never lost her sense of adventure, and in the nursing home, was even caught sneaking out at night with her roommate, Mildred, several times. Delores’ caregivers told her family how sweet she was. In her last years, her family loved their visits with Delores and always felt blessed by her. Delores passed peacefully on April 8th, 2024. Her legacy lives on in the love we all share.
Delores had eight daughters; Ruth Elaine La Hue (Steven), Judith Allene Schieszer (Greg), Janet Malia Doubledee, Mary Alice Whitesides, Nancy Alaine Dunagan (Stephen), Diana Sue Short (Steven), Gracie Lynn Sapp, Victoria Ann Ridgeway, and honorary daughter Cheryl (Hayes) Reed;
21 Grandchildren, Jessica LaHue-Spherex, Stephanie LaHue, Roberta LaHue, Zachary LaHue, Jon Schieszer, Brett Schieszer, David Moore, John Doubledee, Sarah Doubledee, Nicole Meruvia, Walter Whitesides, Christian Dunagan, Meghan Badder, Jacob Short, Matthew Short, Stevie Mulsoff, Colette Sapp, Kurt Sapp, Garrett Sapp, Rusty Richardson, Samuel Ridgeway;
37 Great grandchildren, Ella LaHue –Brown, Jack Brown, Niko LaHue, Adrian LaHue, Franko LaHue, Griffin Ferguson-Schieszer, Isleen Moore, Teagan Moore, Mallia Doubledee, Braylon Williams, Wyatt Williams, Sebastian Meruvia, Liam Meruvia, Leonidas Whitesides, Athenna Whitesides, Isla Dunagan, Hailey Dunagan, Riley Badder, Lila Short, Shane Mulsoff, Mack Mulsoff, Beau Mulsoff, Theodore Short, Rise’ Short, Preston Sapp, Cash Adams, Ashton Sapp, Sophia Sapp, Tyler Sapp, Annabelle Sapp, David Sapp, Aubrey Sapp, Ryan Richardson, Tate Richardson, and Carly Mae Richardson.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Walter Strange; Daughters, Janet Malia Doubledee, Mary Alice Whitesides, Nancy Alleen Dunagan; a son, Joseph Allen Strange; granddaughters, Angela Stacey LaHue and Sarah Francis Doubledee; sons-in-laws, Kevin Dale Ridgeway, John Harrell Doubledee and David Wayne Sapp, and her parents.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fairview Road Community of Christ Church, 1111 Fairview Road Columbia, MO 65203.
Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com
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