Delores Alice Nelson was born January 21, 1926 at Herrick, South Dakota to Simon and Lena (Christensen) Sterling and she died March 6, 2018 at the Mary House Long Term Care in Pierre, South Dakota at the age of 92 years.

When she was a small girl they moved to a farm near Witten, South Dakota.  She grew up there, later moving to Winner, South Dakota where she graduated from high school.  She attended Sioux Falls College for a short time before she began teaching.  On May 27, 1951, Delores married Lee Nelson at the Winner Baptist Church.  They started their married life on a farm south of Burke and eventually moved to the farm near Lucas, where Lee was raised.

Delores taught school for a few years and then continued helping with the farm and becoming a foster parent.  She was a member of the Lucas Baptist Church and the Burke Senior Citizens group.

Delores was preceded in death by her husband, Lee; her parents; her siblings: Florence Burtz, Clarence Sterling, Harvey Sterling, Viola Sterling, Wesley Sterling, Don Sterling, Dale Sterling, Henry "Bud" Sterling, and Elsie Walters; her son-in-law, Larry Handwerk and her granddaughter, Christie.

Delores is survived by her children: Loryece Handwerk of Marion, SD; Rick (Martha) of Sioux Falls, SD; Randy of Mitchell, SD; Marcy of Peoria, AZ; Ron (Sylvia) of Pierre, SD; Donovan Wright (Renee) of Inver Grove Heights, MN; Dara Johnson (Michael) of New Mexico and Darwin Nelson (Christina) of Mitchell, SD; her grandchildren: Samantha Nelson, Jessica Vest, Joshua Nelson, Amanda Nelson, Dylan Wright, Abigail (Adam) Wright-Wellan, Ashton, Nelson, Mia Nelson, Chris Nelson, Beyonca Rose Klein, Ehryn Nelson and Lynkyn Nelson; her great-grandchildren: Skylar and Emily Hinseth, Alec Nelson, Addy Nelson, and Dean Nelson; her sister-in-law: Phyllis (Nelson) Dixon and several cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Union Baptist Church in Burke, SD.  Burial will be in the Lucas Cemetery, Lucas, SD.  Visitation will be Saturday beginning at 9:00 AM at the church.