Delores Irene Christiansen was called home on Friday, September 16, 2022 from Neilson Place, Bemidji.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, September 22, 2022 at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be on a later date at Greenwood Cemetery.
Delores was born August 3, 1930 to Ivan C. and Esther (Souder) Lauderbaugh in Lewiston, ID. When she was 3 years old, her family returned to Bemidji. Delores attended both Lincoln and Carr Lake Elementary Schools and graduated from Bemidji High School. As a teenager, she began working at Glass Block Drug and later she worked as a telephone operator for Northwest Telephone where she made friends that lasted a lifetime. On December 22, 1951, she married her high school sweetheart, Melvin Christiansen. Since Melvin was in the Air Force, they immediately left for Roswell, New Mexico where he was stationed. Again, she made friends there that she kept in touch with her entire life. In 1954, they returned to Bemidji with their first son, Gary. They started their life in Bemidji on Lakeview Drive, but after a few more children were added to the family, they purchased Idylwyld Cottages on Lake Marquette. Delores was kept busy operating the resort and raising the seven children they were blessed with. Despite her hectic schedule, she still found time to volunteer as a ‘gray lady’ at the local hospital and nursing home and be on a bowling league. She loved both of those activities! Delores also loved her flower gardens in the summer, her beautiful teacup collection, sewing, reading, and traveling. She was able to visit many states including Alaska and Hawaii. Her love and pride and joy belonged to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She kept track of everyone of them and was so proud of each!
Delores is survived by her children, Gary (Janet) Christiansen, Gayle (Doyle) Cooper, Ronald (Barb) Christiansen, Vicki Wettschreck, Brian (Shelly) Christiansen , Dawn (Rick) Jackson, Lisa (Rusty) Jackson; brothers, Stan (Anne) Lauderbaugh, Bruce (Becky) Lauderbaugh, John (Jean) Lauderbaugh and Dan (Carol) Lauderbaugh; sisters, Barbara (Elmer) Schefers, Joan (Dean) Streblow, and Linda Lauderbaugh; sister-in-law, Elaine Lauderbaugh and 21 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Melvin; brothers, Ivan, Eugene and Richard; son-in-law, Kyle Wettschreck and two great-grandchildren.