Della Delperdang

Della E. Delperdang, 101, of Kingsley, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at Kingsley Specialty Care with her family by her side. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley. Rev. Jason Letsche will officiate. Burial will follow at Kingsley Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024, at the Johnson – Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley. The family will be present from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral service on Saturday.

Della Eileen Delperdang was born on February 11, 1922, on her family’s homestead northeast of Kingsley. Della was the daughter of Carl and Dora (Behrens) Fokken, the fifth of seven children. She attended country school through 8th grade at Henry Township #9 and later taught there for 2 years. She graduated from Kingsley High School in 1939 and was the last surviving graduate. Della received a teaching certificate from Western Union (Westmar) College in Le Mars in 1942, and remedial reading endorsement from Morningside University in Sioux City.

She loved to go to dances. She met her future husband, Al at the Avalon Ballroom in Remsen, Iowa. Della and Al were married on June 1, 1943, in Harlingen, Texas where Al was stationed in the Army. The couple was also stationed in Boise, Idaho for 3 years. They then moved to Hornick, Iowa where they raised their five children. After her children grew up, Della returned to teaching. Della taught remedial reading for Westwood Community School District for 21 years at the Salix and primarily Hornick, Iowa elementary schools. After retirement in 1987, Della enjoyed substitute teaching for Westwood for another 5 years. She was Grand Marshall for the Westwood Homecoming Parade in 2002.

Della and Al later divorced and Della moved to Kingsley to be near her mother and sisters.
After retirement, Della enjoyed many fun trips, especially chaperoning North High Jazz Band throughout Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. She traveled to Hawaii, Niagara Falls, New England, and many other states. Della was past president of the Women’s Study Club and Library Club, and a member of the American Legion Post 492, and bowling league in Hornick. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Kingsley, and taught Vacation Bible School for 13 years. She was a member of Leah Circle. She gave lots of hugs, taught lots of children and rocked many babies while singing “Pony Boy” to them.

Della enjoyed many fun years with her friends in the Kingsley Red Hat Society. She modeled in many style shows for the Fashion Shoppe in Kingsley, and usually bought all the outfits she modeled too. Della loved to shop. Whether a new hat, purse, or latest fashion, Della always dressed up, and had her nails done. Della was known as the Hat Lady and she would proudly show her hat collection to pre-school and the nursing home whenever asked. She loved craft fairs. You can never have enough decorations for every holiday. And then there was the Precious Moments and frog collections. Della was an avid Hawkeye football fan. She loved to wear the colors.

Della spent the last 7 ½ years at Kingsley Specialty Care Nursing Home. She was very content there and enjoyed bowling, playing bingo and cards. For many preceding years, she visited the nursing home almost daily, bringing cheer, treats, decorations and fellowship to other residents, friends and her own relatives there. Della’s family would like to thank the Kingsley Specialty Care Center and Care Initiatives Hospice-Sioux City for their care. In closing, as Della would always say, “I Love You More!”.

Her life and memories will be lovingly remembered by her family which includes her four surviving children, Douglas of Keokuk, IA, Carl Martin “Marty” and wife, Marcia (Hamann) of Sioux City, IA, Faye Harvey of Kingsley, IA and Lori and husband, Rick Swanson of Sioux City, IA; a daughter-in-law, Janet (Whitlock) Delperdang of Le Mars, IA; fourteen grandchildren, thirty great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Della was preceded in death by her parents; son, Thomas; sisters, Florence and William Turkington, Pearl Fokken, Velma and William Boutwell, Norma and Jack Paulin; brothers,
William and Junille Fokken and Carl and Dorothy Fokken, son-in-law, James Harvey; and ex-husband, Al Delperdang; sisters-in-law, Cecilia and Joseph Kramer, Rosemary and Harry Reynolds; brothers-in-law, William and Verda Delperdang, Cletus and Genevieve Delperdang.


The family requests memorials in her name be made to the American Legion Post 492, 306 Main St, Hornick, IA 51026 or the Kingsley Library, 220 Main St, Kingsley, Iowa 51028.