Blessed Be Her Memory
On April 21, 1926, a baby girl was born in London, England. Her parents named her Elizabeth. We know her as Queen Elizabeth. The next day, a baby girl was born on a farm near New Ulm, MN. Her parents named her Deloris. These two girls grew up during the Great Depression. Both saw family members leave to fight in wars, watched the moon landing, saw how television and computers changed the world. The similarities end there.
Unlike Elizabeth, Deloris never mastered reading, simple math or so much more. As the second-oldest of 10 children, Deloris enjoyed having plenty of siblings to play with. School was a struggle for Deloris, but she was her mother’s right-hand helper. The pair worked side by side in everything from peeling a pile of potatoes to butchering chickens.
Her father, Fredrick, was a farmer. Her mother, Estella, raised the children and helped on the farm. The family attended church faithfully. Her parents spoke German, which led to Deloris having a slow start at school. She was unable to master the English language. After two years in the first grade, the teacher noticed Deloris’ lack of progress and urged the family to send her to a special school in Faribault, MN.
The school was called the Minnesota School for the Feeble Minded and Colony of Epileptics. The school focused on teaching skills that would enable a person to go back home and be a contributing member of society.
While at school, eight-year-old Deloris rarely stopped crying. After close to a year away, the school contacted her parents to bring Deloris home. While in her early 80’s, Deloris still remembers how sad she was at the school. As a young child, Deloris believed her family was abandoning her and she would never see them again.
I met Deloris in 1998, when my husband, Joel, became her pastor. We began a Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) program and Deloris attended the first class. She continued to attend until a few weeks before her death in 2017. At 90, Deloris was an angel in the Christmas service. When Deloris began to come to JCM, she was very quiet.
After about four months, we saw a big change. Deloris remembered the songs and stories she had learned in Sunday school. Deloris never learned to read, but she believed she could read the JCM Bible stories. The words have rebus pictures and Deloris would share what the pictures were.
After Deloris’ parents went to heaven, her siblings took over as her guardian. Her oldest sister, Christel, helped Deloris to find her own apartment. Deloris loved the independence and responsibility. Deloris lived her last years very happily at a local group home and still attended Jesus Cares. Deloris had a warm, caring heart and laughed often. She worked hard at whatever task she was given.
Although her abilities were limited, her love for the Savior was not. In April of 2017, both Deloris and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their 91birthdays. This also became Deloris’ last birthday on earth. Deloris entered heaven on May 25, 2017. One by one, this faithful Christian family is being reunited at the table of the King. Blessed be her memory.
There are more than a dozen states where congregations offer JCM programs, Bible classes, “Worship at the Cross” services and New Friends programs. For JCM locations, click here.
Julie Luetke, a JCM Consultant, shared the story of Deloris through her family and her faith. Julie always gets excited when churches design a ministry for people with developmental disabilities in their communities. JCM works to help share God’s word with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and communities.