DOLORES DEMENGE

Dolores Evelyn DeMenge, of McGregor, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Villa Vista Court in Cromwell. She was 92 years old.

Dolores was born on December 17, 1930 (but always celebrated on the 19th) in rural McGregor, Minnesota to parents Jacob and Theresa (Schertler) Joriman. She attended the Rat Lake Schoolhouse for elementary education and rode to school, in a wooden school bus, with a coal fired stove for heat.  At the age of 10, Dolores had her first job keeping track of Christmas tree stumpage sales for her father at their family farm on rat lake, north of McGregor, MN. This is where she met her future husband, Richard. At 15, she went with her cousin to work in Duluth, MN. She took a job for the summer working at a hospital in the commissary cleaning and organizing.  After graduating from McGregor High School in 1949, Dolores moved to Minneapolis and worked in a cinnamon toast factory. 

On April 9, 1950, she married Richard DeMenge and together they had a logging operation, cut and sold Christmas Trees, a gravel pit, and a Caterpillar dozer business. Dolores kept the book work for all these operations. Dolores was a “wood broker” for Northwest Paper Co. (Potlach) of Cloquet, MN. This turned out to be the springboard for her son Jerry’s business, DeMenge Forest Products, that has grown into the entity he still owns and operates today. 
 
In the early 1960’s Dolores and Richard started DeMenge Sawmill. Dolores had the job of bookkeeper for the sawmill. This involved making checks out to the loggers who they purchased logs from. She would always have a home baked treat and a hot cup of coffee for them- if they had time. She loved to socialize with the people they did business with. She would also make a meal at noon time along with homemade bread and fried doughnuts among other goodies for the men working at the sawmill. She was an excellent cook! 
 
In 1979 on Mother’s Day, at age 47 Dolores was widowed when Richard’s life was cut tragically short at age 52.  Dolores never wavered, she gracefully handled the extremely heavy load of taking care of the sawmill, her elderly mother (who lived on the same property as the sawmill and her home) and her 8-year-old son, Glen.
 
She sold the DeMenge Sawmill to her son Brad, but continued to work as its bookkeeper until the 2000’s.  Dolores also was the bookkeeper for her son Glen’s business Glen’s Sign Dezine. She held this position from 1993 until her health caused her to retire in June of 2023 shortly before her passing. 
 
Dolores had a knack for numbers, and her very favorite game was BINGO!! She would play as many as 20 boards at a time. She enjoyed going with her friends to Black Bear Casino. She also loved to play at the McGregor Lions Club, Minnewawa Sportsman’s Club, and the Mille Lacs Band community center. Any place around that had BINGO you could find her there dobbing away! 
 
Dolores made some trips to Las Vegas with Brad and Terri. She loved the shows with the white tigers. She also made trips to the Black Hills area in SD, California, Washington, New Mexico; but all paled in comparison to her trip of a lifetime to Germany. 
 
Dolores loved to write poetry and read books. She said, “I have never belonged to any official group or organization, but I never had to look very far to find someone who was in need of help.” And help she did! Never bragging or looking for acknowledgment, just doing and helping. This world needs more people like Dolores. 
 
Dolores held a special place in the heart of everyone who knew her. She is loved unconditionally and will forever be missed deeply by all whose life she touched. God bless her. 

Dolores is preceded in death by her parents, husband Richard, and siblings, Richard, Robert, Albert, Mabel and an infant sister.

She is survived by her sons, Jerry (Aileen), Bradley (Terri), and Glen (Mary); grandchildren, Chad, Clint (Kim), and RJ (Brittany); great grandchildren, Eleanor, Claire, and Emmett; many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from 3:00 - 6:00 pm on Sunday, August 27, 2023 at the McGregor United Methodist Church (Northern Lights Parish).

A Time of Sharing will be held at 5:30 pm with Pastor Diane Brennan.

A private family Graveside Service and Inurnment will be in at the Union Woodland Cemetery in McGregor.

Memorials are preferred to St. Croix Hospice.

Flowers are preferred through Barefoot Gardens in McGregor at 218-232-5679

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