Delores Ness, 90 of Newfolden, MN passed away Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND with her loving family by her side.

Visitation will be from 3:00 PM until 4:00 PM on Sunday, October 10, 2021 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. The service to Celebrate the life of Delores Ness will be at 4:00 PM on Sunday, October 10, 2021 at Johnson Funeral Service with Pastor Jim Robberstad officiating. Burial will follow at the Holt Cemetery in Holt, MN.

Delores Lavonne Johnson was born March 7, 1931 in Holt, MN the daughter of Nels and Bernice (Bjerk) Johnson. She attended school in St. Hilaire, MN through the eighth grade.

She married Lawrence Wilhelm on November 23, 1948 and to this union three children were born, Larry, Donna and Judy. They moved to a farm in Wylie, MN for a short time then on to Minneapolis, eventually settling in Long Lake, MN.  Lawrence worked out at FMC Corporation and Delores felt blessed to be home to raise their family. Delores also opened her home to infant foster children for about eight years. She loved babies!

Lawrence passed away in November 1968 and this led Delores and the family to relocate to Thief River Falls to be closer to family.

On October 10, 1970, Delores was united in marriage to Marshall T. Ness in Holt, MN. They lived in Thief River Falls until building a home in rural Holt in 1973.

She was a lifelong member of the Heritage Center in Thief River Falls, receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2013. She enjoyed playing bingo, painting, playing piano by ear, sewing, cross-stitching, knitting, crocheting,  and sharing her signature items with her family and friends. Delores made wonderful angel food cakes and famous Aunt Sally Cookies. She loved teaching her grandchildren to play rummy, Skip-Bo, solitaire, and many other card games. Delores had an addiction to her three iPads.

Marshall passed away August 26, 2009 and Delores continued to live on the farm until moving to Greenleaf Assisted Living in Thief River Falls in 2016. In December of 2019 she moved to Villa St. Vincent in Crookston, MN.

Survivors include, 3 children: Larry Wilhelm, Thief River Falls, MN, Donna (Daniel) Sustad, Viking, MN, Judy (Michael) Frazer, Sauk Rapids, MN, 9 grandchildren: Dayna (Kraig) Melvie, Viking, MN, Jennifer (Dennis) Larson, St. Paul, MN, Wendy (Andrew) Nordstrom, Waconia, MN, Dawn (Cory) Gustafson, Viking, MN, Holly Vad, Wannaska, MN, Michael Frazer Jr., Minneapolis, MN, Jennifer (Brant) Johnson, East Grand Forks, MN, Blake (Macy) Sustad and Bradley (Jessica) Sustad, Viking, MN; great grandchildren: Alexis (Garret) Tadych, Kasey & Kinzie Melvie; Dylan, Tyson & Kylie Gustafson; McKayla, Hailey, Courtney & Hunter Vad; Chesney, McKenna & Aubrie Lee, Kendrick Johnson, Amarah Sustad, Alexander & Micah Larson; great-great grandson, Brooks Minter; brother, Bernan Johnson; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husbands, Lawrence and Marshall; parents; and sister-in-law, Betty Johnson.