Oct. 3, 1924 - July 29, 2009

Funeral services for Delores Koolmo, 84, of Tioga, are at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church in Tioga. The Rev. Rodger Olson will officiate and interment is at Lindahl Cemetery, north of Tioga. A family service, open to the public, is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Fulkerson Funeral Home. Friends may sign the on-line register book and give their condolences at www.fulkersons.com

Delores Lorraine (Olson) Koolmo was born on the family farmstead on Oct. 3, 1924, to A. Elmer and Elaine (Lindahl) Olson at Boxholm, Iowa. The family later moved to Milltown, Wis., to farm and milk dairy cows. Delores was raised and educated in Milltown.

After graduating from high school, Delores moved to Milwaukee, where she stayed with her aunt and uncle, Vernon and Evelyn Lindahl, while attending junior college and working.

She then returned to Milltown where she met her future husband, James Koolmo. James had come to Wisconsin from Tioga to help his aunt work on her farm after the loss of her husband. James and Delores were married on July 14, 1947, in Lindstrom, Minn. To this union their daughter, Sandra Lee, was born. The family moved to Tioga, James’ hometown, so he could work in the oil industry as it was beginning to boom. Delores worked with at Theodorson’s Cafeteria and at the Burt Pederson and Lee Baily grocery stores before beginning her career cooking at the Central Elementary School for more than 40 years. She is reported as serving thousands of school children over the years and shared special treats with the administration and staff.

Delores had many interests, but her favorite was bowling. She was a member of many bowling teams and taught elementary and junior high school students to bowl on a youth league. She was so proud of her kids when they did well in area tournaments. She also did well in state bowling tournaments where she took scratch singles champ for Division No. 1 in 1972.

She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Tioga, and the Zion Ladies Aid. She was also a member of the Tioga American Legion Auxiliary and the North Dakota Ladies Bowling Association. Delores also loved to crochet and garden. Of course, her love of cooking and feeding the whole neighborhood was well known. The coffee pot was always on and there were always new goodies to try. If someone was walking by the house with their dog, their dog would enjoy a treat right along with everyone else.

Delores entered the Tioga Long Term Care facility on Feb. 20, 2004, where she resided until her passing on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, surrounded by family and friends.

Those that survive Delores are her daughter, Sandra (Gerald) Dilland of rural Tioga; sister, Hildred (Chester) Prose and Lila Jean (Harold) Leiferman, both of Minneapolis; brother, Vern (Arlene) Olson of Milltown, Wis.; sister-in-law, Marion Gesche of Eau Claire, Wis.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James, on July 30, 2007; her parents, A. Elmer and Elaine Olson; in-laws, Olaf and Ragna Koolmo; and brother-in-law, Carl Gesche.

Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Tioga on Friday from until 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and one hour prior to services at the church.