Dolores was born in Effingham, IL on December 17, 1938 to George and Mabel (nee Goers) Duckwitz. The youngest of two children, she was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church on January 1, 1939 in Effingham. On April 6, 1952 Dolores was confirmed at Saint Jacobi Lutheran Church in Jennings, MO where she also attended Lutheran School. Graduation followed in 1956 from Lutheran High School in St. Louis.

Dolores’ chemistry teacher dubbed her “Daisy Duck” due to her maiden name, which was later altered to the nickname “duckie” throughout her life.

In 1959 Dolores graduated from Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing where she continued to work 13 years before transferring to Christian Northwest and eventually Christian Northeast after it was built. After a 35 year nursing career, she joined her husband in retirement.

While nursing at Lutheran Hospital, she met Thomas DeBlaze in 1963, and they were married at Ascension Parish in St. Louis (Northwoods), MO on May 15, 1965. Into this union were born two children, Dawn and Scott.

They lived in Florissant, MO until 1996 when they moved to Montgomery County. At that time they became members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warrenton. Prior to that they had been members of Risen Christ and Chapel of the Cross in St. Louis County.

In 2002, Dolores joined her husband, Tom, in a research program for movement disorders at Washington University, where they decided to donate their brains after death.

On September 30, 2012 Dolores left this world for a better home with Her Lord and Savior Jesus. Surviving her are one daughter Dawn, and her husband John Herron; one son Scott, and his wife Sara; two grandchildren Sophia and Francesca DeBlaze; her sister Aline Howell; her sister-in-law, Mary Ann Daues; her brother-in-law, Vincent DeBlaze and wife Janet; one aunt, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents, brother in-law Donald Daues and brother-in-law Carl “Woody” Howell, nieces Janet DeBlaze-Kilker and Mary DeBlaze, great nephew Jimmy Whittley, and many aunts and uncles.

Dolores’ family remember her as an excellent nurse with a big heart, non-judgmental nature, and acceptance of people for who they are. A caring, selfless and conscientious country girl who was very down-to-earth, she enjoyed the simple things in life: cats, watermelon, and Cardinal baseball. A clever and creative writer, Dolores had a gift of rhyming every annual Christmas letter.

After retirement, she and Tom enjoyed 6 years of adventurous motorhome travel seeing an abundance of God’s creations across North America, going into Mexico and Canada before Tom’s health halted their journeys. Her German heritage was a source of great pleasure. In the fall of 2011, Dolores and Dawn made a pilgrimage to the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany, most famous for sheltering Martin Luther during the reformation while he translated the New Testament into German.

The love and friendships Dolores developed at St. John’s Lutheran were among her greatest joys. She was active member of Quilters, Knotters, Ladies Aid and the Alzheimer Association.

Dolores was a wonderful Christian woman who loved her Lord and Savior immensely which showed in her attitude, her love for family, and her worship. She continually educated herself on God’s teachings, and led her life as a reflection of her faith. Dolores now sits with saints and angels and all the company of heaven lauding and magnifying our Lord and Savior Jesus.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the St. John’s Lutheran Church Building Fund, Thoracic Oncology Research Fund, or Community Loving Care Hospice in Wentzville (see details below).

* Church Directions: 70 West, exit 193 for MO-47 toward Warrenton / Hawk Point. Turn Left onto MO-47 S and drive 1.8 miles. St. John’s Lutheran (636-456-2888) will be on the left.

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MEMORIALS

St. John’s Lutheran Church
950 South State Highway 47
Warrenton, MO 63383

* please make check payable to “St. John’s Lutheran Church” with “Building Fund / Dolores DeBlaze” on the memo line.
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Thoracic Oncology Research Fund
Attention: Ramaswamy Govindan, M.D.
Washington University School of Medicine
660 South Euclid, Campus Box 8056
St. Louis, MO 63110

* please make check payable to “Thoracic Oncology Research Fund” with “Memorial to Dolores DeBlaze” on the memo line. All contributions receive a letter of acknowledgment.
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Community Loving Care Hospice
Attn: Janet
251 East Pearce Blvd.
Wentzville, MO 63385

* please make check payable to “Community Loving Care Hospice” with “Memorial to Dolores DeBlaze” on the memo line.
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