Delores Cornforth

Sophie Delores “Tootie” Cornforth passed away 8/1/22 at the age of 97 while at Benedictine Nursing home in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She was born on the family farm in Sheldon, Minnesota on December 24, 1924 to Henry and Alma (Swenson) Johnson. She was the 6 ^th child of 7 children and all her siblings preceded her in death. Her mother Alma was a huge influence on her and she inherited many of Alma’s soft spoken, kind traits as well as her work ethic. Hank likely had an influence on her wit and humor.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill (2005); sons, Dale (2022) and Ray (1996); daughters-in-law, Dale’s widow Deanna (2022), Wayne’s wife Diane (2021) and grandson Doug (2021). She is survived by her sons, Wayne and Gary; daughters, Sophie, Charlene and Janelle; and daughters-in-law, Marilyn and Evelyn. Surviving grandchildren are David, Darcey (Lyle) Lemke, Holly (Doug’s widow), Lyanna (Andrew) Opitz, Bill Weiss, Rob Weiss, Kim (Leo) Bronston, Rick (Andrew Hafner), Melinda (Curt) Harr, MeriBeth (Ken) Tupa, Jeremy (Eleanor), and Matthew (Candice). Great grandchildren will now continue to carry her sweet smile down through time.

Delores met her husband Bill at the drugstore in Houston, Minnesota while looking at magazines with a girlfriend. He walked in with one of his buddies and spotted her. He told his friend, “That one is for me”. At age 15, she married Bill Cornforth age 19 on Feb 3, 1940 accompanied by 2 friends after which they went out for foot long hotdogs. They then commenced to have 7 children together. The 4 boys were born before she reached the age of 20. She often giggled during her bedtime routine about how all those early pregnancies caused her to lose her teeth in her twenties.

The family started out farming both in Sheldon and then Crystal Valley. There was a short move to Milwaukee during World War 2 but they missed this area and moved back. Delores had a strong relationship with God and joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church in La Crosse, Wisconsin when the boys were young. She was the one who decided to move the family to La Crescent, Minnesota in order to send the kids to church school. It was her faith in God and her convictions that ultimately blessed the family with this move. They bought the Albrecht and Yohe farms which essentially launched Bill’s various farming and business interests. The ninth grade was as far it went for both Delores and Bill but that did not stop their determination to make a good life for their growing family.

Work was no stranger to Delores and she did plenty of it supporting Bill in his farming and building days while raising their family. This is the one regret she voiced in the last year of her life- she worked too much. She would mow the pasture just to make it look nice with her special mower named “Jaws”. She could milk a herd of cows by herself. She never shied away from learning a new skill and she mastered several. Good enough never cut it for her. She could finish a house doing finish carpentry, tile work, and painting without a drop cloth. She was an excellent cook and made the best bread every Friday for years. She could upholster and cane furniture, grew a huge garden preserving the produce for winter, sewed our clothes, even if it was leather mini-skirts in the 60’s. She knew her herbs and the ways of natural healing. These are only a few of her many talents.  What she didn’t know, she looked up – and this was way before the days of the internet. Delores understood the value of action/consequence and expected us kids to use common sense and learn from our mistakes. She would compassionately listen to you for making an honest mistake but would tell you firmly “Oh, dry up” if your blunder was done on purpose or foolish. Whining was not allowed. She wanted her children to be competent, independent thinkers and to know that they could do whatever they set their minds to do.

She especially loved art and music, enrolling us in lessons at the first hint of any interest. Oh, how she loved listening to Ray sing and play the piano and the fine fiddle playing and chording by her Sheldon family. She loved to dance and often danced in the kitchen while cooking. Sometimes Bill would join her when he caught her in the act. She fondly remembered all the house party dances in the Sheldon area back when she was growing up.

Delores was active in her church with social planning and charity work. She invited guests home for meals after church. Corn roasts, hayrides and snowmobile parties were some of the activities she organized and many events were held at the family farm. She was faithful to visit the older church members and looked after them. This past year, she enjoyed even just reading the church bulletin as one means to keep her connected.

Her neighbors in the La Crescent area enriched her life in many ways. It is touching how in her later years, neighbors continued to stop by and bring her little things to show they cared. She continued to maintain her ties with her beloved extended family in the Sheldon and Houston area.  She was a prayer warrior and was quick to connect with God with her concerns for others. She relied on God and her understanding of his Word through both the good times as well as the many struggles she endured in her long life. It was not uncommon to hear her through the walls at night praying before she would go to sleep. She embraced that God has a plan and she refused to let hard times cause bitterness.

She was lovingly cared for and pampered these past 17 years by her daughter Sophie who moved back home after Bill died. When her care required nursing home placement after a traumatic fall, Sophie was there for her daily. Mama so appreciated her loving care and Sophie’s attention to detail. She continued to enjoy visits with loved ones, could still FaceTime and enjoyed telling stories. All her life, she always wanted to be included in the middle of things and often would stay up late so as not to miss out on any good conversation when her kids came home to visit. Her quick wit never left her.

Our queen is gone now. No more of her chimpanzee grins as she eats her daily beloved bananas. She has left a deep and lasting impression in our hearts and lives. It is but a moment now when she will be fully restored into a glorious version of that beautiful, stately woman we knew as the queen of our tribe. We forever love you, Tootie.

There will be a private family graveside service held at the Oakland Cemetery in Dresbach where Delores will be laid to rest next to her husband, Bill.  In lieu of flowers, if you wish, please donate in Delores’ name to the charity of your choice.