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Delores Kathleen (Oster) Thormodsgard, 96, passed away on July 12, 2026, at Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger, ND.

Delores was born on April 15, 1930, on her grandparents' farm near Scranton, ND, to Peter and Katherine Oster. She attended Scranton Public School, graduating as valedictorian of the Class of 1948. During high school, she worked at the Albion Hotel dining room and as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell. She was active in choir, glee club, and pep club, and co-captained the girls' basketball team to an undefeated district championship.

After graduation, Delores went to work at Arnold's Garage in Hettinger. As office manager, she handled everything from bookkeeping and the parts department to whatever else needed to be done. There she met Dale Thormodsgard, whom she married on June 24, 1951, at Peace Lutheran Church in Scranton. Together they shared 63 years of marriage and raised six children on the family farm.

After moving to the farm in 1953, Delores managed the books for several small businesses from her home while raising her family. She later served as clerk for Taylor Butte School for more than 20 years until the school closed.

In 1972, Farmers Union Oil Company asked Delores to help in the bookkeeping department. What was expected to be a short-term position became a 32-year career. She eventually became office manager and retired at age 74.

She was a longtime member of Richland Church, where she taught Sunday School and was active in Ladies Aid. She also served in the Title I program at Hettinger School, was an Adams County 4-H leader for more than 20 years, and taught sewing to many young people. After moving to town in 2011, she volunteered with the Council on Aging and the Clothes Closet.

Delores moved to Western Horizons Assisted Living in February 2021 and to Western Horizons Care Center in November 2023, where she received compassionate care until her passing.

Delores enjoyed gardening, sewing, baking, and working outdoors. She took great pride in her vegetable garden and flower beds and loved sharing what she grew with family, friends, and neighbors. Family was the most important part of her life. She loved teaching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren the skills and values that meant so much to her and was always proud of their accomplishments. Her favorite saying about her family was, "There's not a bum in the bunch."

Delores is survived by her children, Susan (Peter) Anderson of Lodgepole, SD; James (Lynne) Thormodsgard of Miles City, MT; Neil (Karen) Thormodsgard of Ismay, MT; Allen Thormodsgard of Edmond, OK; and her son-in-law Dean Erickson of Bismarck, ND; 15 grandchildren; and 30  great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale; son Norman Thormodsgard; daughter Kathy Erickson; daughter-in-law Vonda Thormodsgard; her parents, Peter and Katherine Oster; brother Harold Oster; grandson Mark Thormodsgard; great-granddaughter Saylor Anderson.

The Funeral Service for Delores will be 10:30am, Saturday, July 18, 2026 at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Homes in Hettinger, ND.  SAM Barb West will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the Funeral at the Centennial Chapel on Saturday.