DeLores Ann Doten Neahring — Stewartville

DeLores Ann Doten Neahring was born July 17, 1930, at the tuberculosis sanitarium in Cannon Falls. Her father, Laurence Doten, was killed while working as an immigration officer on the border of Minnesota and Canada when she was six weeks old. Her mother, Clara (Voxland) Doten, died from tuberculosis when DeLores was almost 10 months old. After the death of her parents, her paternal grandparents, Albert and Clara (Wooldridge) Doten, and her aunt, Agnes Doten opened their home and hearts to her and raised her in Stewartville. Before and after marriage, DeLores was a piano teacher and church organist. She met Donald William Neahring, the love of her life, when they played and sang for a funeral together. They were married on July 3, 1955, and farmed and raised their family in the Stewartville-Racine, area until moving to Nehalem, Ore., in July 1977, where they operated a dairy farm until Don's death in 1984. During the earlier years of their marriage, Don and DeLores enjoyed being foster parents and raising registered dogs and Persian cats. They also enjoyed playing and singing together for church weddings and funerals; gardening in their green house; and traveling.

After the death of her beloved husband, DeLores moved to her son, Steve Neahring's farm and kept busy giving piano lessons, making ceramics, gardening, reading, writing and attending Bible studies. She was a deaconess at Calvary Bible Church in Manzanita, Ore., a member of the local garden club, and a Master Gardener. She loved birds, especially her Yellow Naped Amazon parrot "Emily." However, her greatest joy was her family. She moved to the Nehalem Bay House in Bayside Gardens, Ore., in September 2009.

DeLores went home to be with her Lord Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2013.

She is survived by her brother Ted Doten of Norfolk, Neb.; her children, Steve (Lynda) Neahring, Larry Neahring, Jack (Sharon) Neahring, Judy (David) Wilson, Penny (Karl) Krause and Nancy (Bill) Dillard; her grandchildren, Beci (Brian) Bailey, Tim (Carla) Neahring, Josh (April) Neahring, Mario (Rocil) Neahring, Jordan Neahring, Raedene Neahring, Crystal (Mike) Green, Adam (Sara) Neahring, Dionne (Cayben) Marshall, Ben Neahring, Chelsea Neahring, Matt (Carrie) Neahring, Connie (Glenn) Grimes, Nick (Tammy) Neahring, Kyle Neahring, Hollie (Joel) Blake, Lacie Anderson, Amie Anderson, Tana Dillard, BJ Dillard and Ryan Dillard; and 34 great-grandchildren.

DeLores was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Neahring, a granddaughter, Katie Anderson, and a grandson, Nathan Neahring.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, at Calvary Bible Church in Manzanita, Ore., with internment at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Ore.