Delores Darlene (Schatz) Kroupa, 86, of Mitchell, passed away Monday, August 17, 2020 at Firesteel Health Care Center surrounded by family. Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, August 22, 2020 at Will Funeral Chapel, visitation will be an hour prior to the service.  Burial will be in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery.

Delores was born on June 22, 1934 to Owen and Florence (Hellwig) Schatz at the family farm near Scotland, SD. When she was 8 years old her brother, Ronnie, joined the family.  Delores attended country school through the seventh grade and graduated from Scotland High School in 1952.

After a short stint living and working in Sioux Falls, Delores moved to Mitchell to work. It was there that she caught the eye of her roommate's brother, a young farmer named Ralph who had recently returned from the Army, thus beginning a 50+ year romance.  She married the love of her life on July 26, 1953 in Plankinton, SD.  Together they raised three children, first in Mt. Vernon and after a few years on the Kroupa family farm near Mt. Vernon that they purchased from Ralph's parents.  Once the children were all in school Delores worked for a short time at Bill's Café in Mt. Vernon and then many years at Buche's Department Store in Mitchell mainly in the fabric department.  It was then that she became an accomplished seamstress.  After retiring from Buche's, Delores spent many hours with her friends playing bingo, rummaging, gardening and spending time with her four grandchildren.  Over the years Delores and Ralph loved to go dancing with their friends.  They enjoyed their winters in Arizona for eighteen years.  Delores designed the new home they built in Mt. Vernon in 1990 after which their son took over and remodeled the farm house.

Delores and Ralph celebrated their 50 ^th anniversary in 2003.  Ralph passed away in 2005 and shortly after Delores moved to an apartment in Mitchell.  She had been living at Countryside Assisted Living for some time before moving to the Firesteel Health Care Center in May of 2018.

Delores is survived by her children; Vickie (Dennis) Hiemstra, Mitchell, SD. Dale, Mt. Vernon, SD and Elaine "TJ" (Jay) Duvall also of Mt. Vernon, four grandchildren; Michelle (Shannon) Klumb, Brandon (Melissa) Sigmund, Teresa Shay and Tyler Shay, seven great grandchildren; Phoenix (fiancé Alex), Tanner (fiancé Andrea), Kendra (fiancé Andrew), Jazzmine, Kaden, Madison, and Kody, three great great grandchildren, Archer, Violet and Asher, and four step grandchildren; Kelly, Chelsea, Tyler and Shianne. She is also survived by her brother; Ron (Carol) Schatz, sisters in law and brother in law; Irene Shelton, Vera Hill-Zens and Tony Zens, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Delores was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, her parents, her mother and father in law, Anton and Mae Kroupa, her son in law, Edwin Lee Sigmund, sisters and brothers in law, Roy Hendrickson, Clarence Shelton, Frank (Dixie) Kroupa, Florence (Douglas) Hawn, and Berdean Hill; two nephews and a great nephew.