Dolores "Tootie" M. Domarus

Dolores M. "Tootie" Domarus, 85, Browns Valley, MN, passed away Tuesday, August 11, 2015, at the Browns Valley Health Center, Browns Valley.

Mass of Christian Burial was Monday, August 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Anthony Catholic Church in Browns Valley with Father David Breu and Rev. Anna Williamson officiating. Music was provided by organist Norma Jung and the St. Anthony Choir.

Burial was in the Calvary Cemetery, Browns Valley. Honorary pallbearers were the Browns Valley Health Care Center staff and residents. Active pallbearers were Mark Stueve, Mathew Domarus, Louis Nigg, Peter Cook, Micheal Dennis and Dylon Andrews.

Visitation was Monday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church. The Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt, SD, was in charge of the arrangements.

Dolores Mae Wolters was born April 28, 1930, to Mathew and Lillian (Rees) Wolters in Browns Valley, MN. She was the oldest sister to siblings Ron, Don, Anita and Billy. Her cousin, Marlys, was also like a little sister to her and they became inseparable. As a small child, Dolores acquired the nickname "Tootie" which became the only name many people knew her by. She spent her entire life living in Browns Valley, where as a child she studied classical piano from the Catholic nuns. We would come home from school every day to the sounds of Strauss or Schubert floating in the air.

On June 9, 1948, Tootie married the love of her life, LaVerne Charles Domarus at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Browns Valley. They were blessed with six children: Michael LaVerne, Patrick Allen, Francis Mathew, Jean Marie, Rebecca Lynn and James Frederick. They were married for 39 years before Verne passed away in 1987.

Tootie was a renowned seamstress in the area for over 55 years. She was well known for designing and making beautiful garments.

Tootie was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church and used her beautiful voice for singing in the choir from the age of 15 to 60. She was also a member of the Browns Valley Legion Auxiliary for 67 years.

Even after being admitted to the Browns Valley Health Center in 2007, she made lap quilts for the veterans, crochet hats for newborns in the Sisseton Hospital, cath bags for Sisseton and OKC hospitals, hats for cancer patients in St. Paul, and pillow case dresses for little girls in Africa for nearly nine years.

Tootie was involved in many organizations and clubs over the years, but nothing was more important to her than her family. She was the Martha Stewart of our neighborhood. Painting, decorating, sewing, and cooking, our home was always filled with something beautiful she had just created. It was not unusual to come home from school to a newly decorated bedroom, complete with draperies and bedspread.

The greatest passion of her life was baseball. From Little League to town team, she never missed a ballgame that her boys were in. Tootie loved to watch the Minnesota Twins and waited impatiently each year for the Little League World Series.

Cooking for her family was also a joy for her. We all benefited from her love of "canning." In lieu of Christmas gifts, we would ask for canned beets, tomatoes or jelly. Her Grandmother Amelia taught her to crochet when she was a very little girl and she never sat and watched television unless she was working on something. Her fingers would fly over the yarn or thread as she would create an heirloom so beautifully made and infused with such love to adorn our homes.

Time spent with family and friends—whether camping and fishing, playing cards or cribbage, sitting on the porch looking at the lake—was what brought the most joy to her life.

Tootie worked at the Browns Valley Health Center as an activity aide for many years where she became known as the "Queen of Hugs." After moving in, it didn't take long before she adopted almost everyone that worked and lived there . . . sewing for them, engaging their children, buying them all Christmas gifts, or just listening to their life stories. She felt their love in return and decided it was home . . . not just a place to live.

Survivors include children, Mike Domarus, Frank Domarus, Jean Nigg, Becki (Mark) Stueve, and Jim Domarus; grandchildren, Kelly, Corey, Christian, Louis, Whitney, Mathew, and Melissa; great-grandchildren, Andrew, Parker, Kyra, Maddox, Emory Lynn, Jon Weston, Paul, Olivia, Jack and Thomas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mathew and Lillian Wolters; husband, Verne; son Patrick Allen; son-in-law, Lynn Nigg; and daughter-in-law, Joan Domarus.

Although our arms will ache for her hugs and our eyes will miss seeing the twinkle in hers; our hearts will know that she is safely in the arms of her Lord and never too far away from us.