On Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, Deloris passed peacefully with family by her side. She was born Nov. 18, 1923, to Walter and Anna (Gajewsky) Lord. She grew up with her nine siblings on a farm in rural Ontario.
In 1944, she married DeWayne Williams and enjoyed her time as a homemaker and raising her children. He preceded her in death in 1969. She then worked part time with the U.S. Postal services as a clerk. In 1973, she was united in marriage with her longtime friend, Kenneth Budde. She and Kenny enjoyed traveling. One of her favorite places she got to visit was Branson, Mo., and the highlight of the trip was seeing Conway Twitty and Boxcar Willie perform.
Throughout her life, she was a member of the Brush Creek Lutheran ELCA, Ontario Homemakers Association, Bredlow-Ewing American Legion Auxiliary, Treasurer of the Church Counsel, and the Brush Creek Ladies Circle.
In her younger years, you would often find her in her garden or crocheting something beautiful. She made the best pickles, calico beans, and potato salad around, which some say it was because she put love in it. She made sure that no one left her house hungry; this included keeping the candy dishes stocked for the grandkids. She was stubborn, and, as many know, she was not afraid to speak her mind. She always had our back no matter what. She gave the best hugs and always said she loved you and to be safe when you left. She carried the weight of our world on her shoulders and worried about us to the very end.
You could often find her at the end of the day, in her favorite chair, enjoying an Old-Fashioned. She enjoyed her visits with grandkids and great-grandkids and taught them all how to shuck corn and peas and snap beans. There were few things in life she didn’t like: those being thunderstorms, dirty ears, and having her picture taken. She had a special place in her heart for her “dumb cat.”
She is survived by her beloved husband, Kenneth Budde of Ontario; her sister, Harriet Leis of Cashton, Wis.; her children, Rodger (Betty) Williams of Selah, Wash., Dennis (Bonnie) Williams of Janesville, Linda Yates of Rock Island, Ill., Mark (Pat) Williams of Ontario, and Robin (Monte) Anderson of Neosho, Mo.; her stepchildren, Carla (Ron) McNulty of Ontario and Allen (Lynnae) Budde of Lodi, Wis.; her grandchildren, Amy, Wade, Jay, Tonya, Corey, Trisha, Brittani, Tyler, and Brittney; her step-grandchildren, Lynnette, Paul, Bryan, and Melissa; 30 great grandkids; four step-great-grandkids; 11 great-great-grandkids (two more on the way); and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, DeWayne Williams; her son, Gary Williams; her stepson, Donnie Williams; her sons–in–law, James Hartman and Cecil Yates; her granddaughter, Tiffany Hartman; her parents; and her siblings, Alice, Almore, Grace, Ruth, Beatrice, Bernice, Elaine, Clarence, and Dorwin (Sonny).
The family would like to thank Gundersen Lutheran for the care Deloris received in her final days. And a very special thank-you to her other daughter, Kim Parker, for the amazing care she provided her over the past few months.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 2, at Brush Creek Lutheran Church in rural Ontario, Wis. Pastor David Sorenson will officiate. Burial will follow in the Hilltop Rest Cemetery in Ontario. Family and friends are invited for visitation Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church. The Torkelson Funeral Home of Ontario is assisting the family with arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given in her name to the Brush Creek ELCA (c/o Karin Hansen, 505 Division St., Ontario WI 54651).
“You were my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye.”
