Delories L. Scherner

Delories L. Scherner, age 91, of Holstein, passed away on Wednesday, March 03, 2021 at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center of Cherokee.  A private family funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 2:00 PM at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein with the Rev. Doresa K. Collogan officiating.  Burial will be at the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein.  A public visitation will be held prior to the service from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein.  The family requests memorials be made to Stubbs Memorial Library of Holstein.  

Delories was the first child of John and Edna (Reimers) Gries, born on the family farm near Holstein, Iowa.  She attended country school and graduated from high school in Galva.  She was a baptized member of the United Methodist Church. Growing up, she loved horses and always had cherished pet dogs.

In 1951, Delories married John Scherner, and to this union five children were born, Diane, Marilyn, Twila, David, and Amy.  They lived on a farm west of Holstein, a perfect place for kids to grow up. Knowing the value of hard work, Delories engaged fully in farm life by raising and butchering ducks and chickens, milking cows, and planting a huge garden to help feed a large family. When she and John moved to town in 1968, she got a job cooking in the school lunchroom.  A favorite menu was when they made hundreds of cinnamon rolls from scratch, served with homemade chili.  She then put her cooking talents to use in a 40-year career in the kitchen at the Good Samaritan Center, retiring in 2011, at age 81.

Delories loved getting together for family celebrations and holidays.  With 10 grandchildren, the house was full and busy.  Always ready with the fritter pan, she made a most delicious treat at Christmas­ – a sweet, currant-filled dough fried and rolled in sugar and served with cherries, a tradition learned from Grandma Gries and carried on now with the next generation.  You could always find the batter rising in the “cold room,” next to pans full of Christmas goodies.  She and John also enjoyed playing in card clubs, and loved traveling to places where their kids and grandkids lived.  

In her later life, she moved to Holstein Senior Living, where she was a voracious reader, enjoying the books brought out by the librarians and sent by family. Family gatherings continued, with several Thanksgivings and birthdays celebrated there.  Oh, she loved her family.

Delories is survived by five children Diane (Kevin) Fineran, Marilyn (Dwight) Conover, Twila (Archie) Webb, David Scherner, and Amy Gebers.  10 grandchildren: Grant (Sydney) Fineran, Haley (Jeff) Krall, Kate (DeAnthony) Zanders, Kerry (Sarah) Fineran; Abby Conover, Philip (Amy) Conover; Daniel (Bridget) Webb, Aaron (Katherine) Webb; Kyle (Samantha) Gebers, and Josh Fulton.  18 great-grandchildren: Elliot, Callum, Jaylan, Briley, Carson, Aubry, Norah, Peyton, Braylen; Henry, Edelyn; Jackson, Parker, Wrigley, Kayne; Brooklyn, Brody, and Brittan.  She is also survived by siblings DeWitt (Colleen) Gries and Doreen (David) Umphreys; brother-in-law Wayne Korner, sister-in-law Shirley Persinger; and many nieces and nephews.

Delories is preceded in death by her parents John and Edna Gries, husband John Scherner, sister Donna Mae Korner, and in-laws Arnold and Mildred Scherner, Harry and Jean Scherner, Harry and Esther Endrulat, Kermit and Alma Hase, Vaughn and Louise Dobson, and Eugene Persinger.

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