Denelda Lachenmeier

Denelda Mae Lachenmeier, 81, Tappen, passed away Monday, March 9, 2009, at Medcenter One Hospital. Services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday at United Methodist Church, Tuttle, with Rev. Perry Schnabel officiating. Spring burial will be in the Tuttle Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm Thursday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, and from 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm Friday at Eastgate Steele Memorial Chapel, Steele. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Denelda was born September 16, 1927, the daughter of Emil and Martha Scherbenske Zerr. She grew up on the family farm near Arena, ND, and attended Arena School. As a young lady she worked for her uncle at Scherbenske’s Store in Tuttle until her marriage to Arthur Lachenmeier on November 28, 1948. In the spring of 1949 they moved to a farm southwest of Gackle where they farmed for two years. The spring of 1951 they purchased their present farm north of Napoleon where they raised their family and have since resided. Denelda’s loves in life were her family and friends, farming, buying and raising cattle, gardening especially mowing her yard, holidays, and baking and cooking for everyone who would come to her home, no matter what time of day! Denelda also enjoyed pinochle, fishing anytime, and road tripping with Dad and family. She also enjoyed making homemade ice cream and special dishes mostly German for her family and friends. Music was important to her; playing piano or organ with Dad in a duet on the accordion, passed many hours of time. Denelda could strike up a conversation with anyone, and always found something in common; topics were endless. She always looked forward to family reunions. She knew most family members favorite foods and made sure they got them and a birthday was never forgotten. Denelda was an outdoor person, working hand and hand with her husband; whether it was milking cows or raking hay, they were together. Denelda is survived by her husband, Art; her daughters, Charlotte James Rath, Tuttle, and Judy Randy Kluksdahl, Driscoll; her grandchildren, Michael Janell Rath, Lincoln, and their children, Jared, Tyler, and Katelyn; Bryan Mandy Rath, Steele, and their children, Jayden and Avery; Weston Tammy Kluksdahl, Driscoll, and their children, Julius, Jayden, Miranda and Angel, Abby Shad Bauer, Milbank, SD, and their children, Christena, Braydon, Peyton, Thomas and Kader; and Dillon Kluksdahl, Driscoll. She is also survived by her brothers and sisters, Fred Zerr, Tuttle, Melvin Pearl Zerr, Mandan, Allan Dianne Zerr, Jamestown, Alice Irvine, Bismarck, Margie Jansen, Valley City, Janice Zerr, Albuquerque, NM, Wallace Zerr, Arena, and Dallas Zerr, Arena; her sisters-in-law, Gladys Zerr, Mandan, Edna Zerr, Bismarck, Colleen Zerr, Pick City, Ella Al Guthmiller, Jamestown, Lorraine Lachenmeier, Hardin, MT, and Edna Lachenmeier, Jamestown; and many nieces, nephews, and long-time friends. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Ray, Ronald, Robert and James; her sisters, Ruby and Gladys; and her parents.

Denelda Lachenmeier

September 16, 1927 - March 9, 2009