Dennis Funeral Homes

DELORIS M. McCOLLEY, age 90 of rural Waseca, died Tuesday, April 26, 2011 (her husband’s birthday) at Lake Shore Inn where she had been a resident for the past three weeks.

Born at her grandparents’ home in Waseca on November 9, 1920, Deloris was the daughter of Edward and Pearl (Krassin) Larson.  She attended the rural St. Mary’s Township schools and was confirmed at the Evangelical Church in Waseca.  On June 6, 1942, she married Harry McColley at the Evangelical Church in Waseca.  Harry served in the United States Army during World War II and for several months was stationed in Miami, Florida.  Deloris joined him there and worked at Sears.  After his discharge in 1945 Deloris and Harry farmed in Otisco and Wilton townships until 1958.  During that time, she also worked several of the pea and corn packs at Bird’s Eye Foods in Waseca.  In 1960, she started working at Herters in Waseca in the order filling department and sales room until her retirement. She lived most of her life on the farm that was homesteaded by her great grandfather in 1855.

Deloris dearly loved her family and her family dearly loved her.  She was always interested and concerned with all family activity.  In her later years, there was always that pail of chocolate chip cookies that she had baked, whether for a family event, or just a visit to her house.  She had a great love of animals, and in addition to having a photo album in her purse of her grandchildren, she also had one of the granddogs.  She had a love for horses, having owned her first pony at age six.  In the mid-1960’s she and Harry began raising and showing Appaloosa horses and they became active in the local saddle club – the Wilton River Riders – in which Harry served as president and she as secretary.  She took great delight in feeding the birds and watching them from her kitchen window.

Deloris is survived by four children, Wayne (Ruth) McColley of Dodge Center, Sandy (Gary) Pittmann of Waterville, Dallas (Marsha) McColley of Waseca, and Rick (Carol) McColley of Waldorf; 11 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and one brother, Roger (Lorna) Larson of Waseca.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband (April 30, 2004); a granddaughter, Tammy McColley Nash; her brother, Stanley Larson; and one foster-brother, Chester Schaefer.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Kinder-Dennis Home for Funerals in Waseca, and will continue for one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the Evangelical United Methodist Church in Waseca, with Rev. Marvin Repinski officiating.  Interment will follow at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.