Dolores L. Mauch

Dolores L. Mauch, 95, Chokio, MN, passed away Saturday, August 27, 2022, at her home in Chokio.

Visitation will be held Friday, September 2, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at New Life Community Baptist Church, Ortonville, MN.

The funeral will be held Saturday, September 3, at 11:00 a.m. at New Life Community Baptist Church, Ortonville, with visitation an hour before. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page.

Burial will be in the Artichoke Lake Baptist Cemetery, rural Correll, MN. Pallbearers will be Paul Fremling, Jeff Ray, Doug McGee, Chuck Hervin, Harvey Burmeister, Jerry Burmeister, Doug Stielow, and Conner McGee.

Dolores Linea Mauch was born August 16, 1927, on her grandparent's farm in Moonshine Township. She was the oldest of 10 children born to Victor and Elin (Johnson) Nilson.  Dolores went to country school District 37 in grade school. She completed three years of high school in Clinton and then graduated from Graceville High School.

Dolores met her husband Richard Mauch when he came to work for her father as a farm hand. She remembers the day when she looked up and met his eyes across the table. The rest is history. Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1945. They were married November 27, 1945, while Richard was home on a 30-day leave.  The wedding was held at the Artichoke Lake Baptist Church parsonage. After he was discharged from the Army January 6, 1947, they moved to Chokio, then Elbow Lake and then they moved in with Dolores's parents in 1948 and Richard helped with farm work. They moved to Clinton and Richard opened a car repair shop in the fall of 1948. In November 1950 they moved to the Edward Mauch family farm near Chokio where she lived for over 70 years.

Dolores sewed much of their clothing, as well as sewing for others. She made many quilts and other needlework projects. She provided for her family by gardening and raising chickens for eating. She was part of the Moonshine Township Homemaker's Club. Richard and Dolores quit farming in 1985. After that Dolores made stuffed animals and Richard made tire door mats to sell at area craft shows. Later on she added animal towel sets and made donuts to sell at local shows. Sometimes she sold as many as 150 dozen donuts. When they stopped going to craft shows, she started to get requests from people to make memory bears from family clothing.  She called them "Bearlooms from Heirlooms."

Dolores realized she was a sinner and needed a Savior when she was in confirmation class at Elim Lutheran Church. She and Richard started attending Artichoke Lake Baptist Church in the late 1950's. She followed the Lord in believer's baptism in 1959.  She was very active in the church teaching Sunday School to Primary and Junior age children for a number of years.  She took over planning the ladies retreat at Big Stone Camp for Christ in the 1980's. She retired from that responsibility in 2019.  She loved people and it was a job she enjoyed doing.

She loved flowers and gardening.  Anyone going to her house would find the front room filled with all kinds of plants plus a menagerie of bears, animals and dolls. Above the door as you leave is a sign "One More Hug."  Her favorite song was "One Day at a Time."  Dolores would always tell you, "The door is always open, and the welcome mat is always out," and "I love people."  Dolores continued to live at the farm until recently when she went to live with her daughter Jeanine and Kimball Cummings in Corcoran Minnesota.

Dolores is survived by her daughters Susan Linnea Huetter (Larry Brockway) of Adrian Michigan, Jeanine Elin (Kimball) Cummings of Corcoran Minnesota; grandchildren, Charlene (Jeff) Ray, Paul Fremling, Dawn (Doug) McGee, Jennifer (Charles) Hervin, Kristin (Richard) Dobrowolski, Jonathan (Lacey) Cummings; great-grandchildren Nicole (Benjamin) Bennett-Williams, Kendra (Alex) Hallett, Tala and Conner McGee, Isabelle and Jack Fremling, Jenna and Owen Dobrowolski, Taylor and Anna Cummings; great-great grandson, Elliott Hallett; sisters, Alice (Richard) Stielow, Frances (John) Shultz, Betty Tate; sisters-in-law Ruth Ann Nilson, Ruth Mauch, Jean Mauch, Edna Hansen, Edith Black; brother-in-law, James Drewelow; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard Mauch; parents Victor and Elin Nilson; two sisters Sonja Watkins and Lorene Drewelow, four brothers Carl, William, David, and John Nilson; brother-in-law Frank Watkins; sister-in-law Verna Nilson; and son-in-law Glenn Huetter.

In lieu of flowers please give a donation to Big Stone Camp for Christ, Alzheimer's Association or the charity of your choice.