Delores Jean (Klein) Overacker, age 87 of Weiser, Idaho, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 15th surrounded by her loving children.
Delores was born November 4th, 1937, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the daughter of Harold Joseph Klein and Juletta Hilda Gohman.
After graduating from Berlin High School in 1955, Delores attended Black Hills State Teachers College in Spearfish, South Dakota. Upon completing one year of college, she married fellow student David Clarence Overacker on June 2, 1956, at the Methodist church in Edgeley, North Dakota, close to the home where she grew up. Immediately after the wedding they moved to Weiser, Idaho where David had been hired as a teacher. Delores rode halfway to Idaho still wearing her wedding dress, carrying the cake topper in her lap.
Delores and David had three children, Debra Cae in 1957, Donn Craig in 1960, and Dean Cord in 1965, all born in Weiser. Delores stayed at home with her children until Dean was old enough to go to school full-time. She then started working as a teacher’s aide in 1970 at Park School while also taking classes in the evenings at Eastern Oregon University. Following the passing of her husband, Delores continued her evening studies at Eastern Oregon University to finish her teaching degree. She then began teaching at Pioneer School as a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher where she was popular for making math fun by using M&Ms to represent numbers with students eating the candies as a reward for correct answers. Delores taught grade school until her retirement in 2002.
Delores was highly active in the Weiser community throughout her entire adult life. She was prominent in her sorority, Beta Sigma Phi, Xi Nu Chapter for nearly 4 decades where she was part of countless volunteer events, including blood drives, Festival of Trees, and the Weiser Old Time Fiddle Festival. For many years she was also a member of Friends of Weiser Memorial Hospital where she volunteered for respite care, de-linting towels for surgery, and fund-raising events. Delores also served for many years on the Weiser Library Board.
Delores enjoyed many hobbies. While growing up she loved to dance and roller skate. She loved to dance so much that she joined a clogging group in Weiser and was proud to have been able to “dance on stage” on a few occasions. She loved to travel with her sisters and her sorority, especially in her retirement years. She would bring home memorabilia from her travels and was particularly drawn to pig tchotchkes and wind chimes. The collection of chimes became so numerous that family members would attempt to silence them with tape, but Delores would have none of it and would always command the tape be removed. She was the luckiest roller on the slot machines in Vegas, so much so that we would often give her our gambling money to play for us because her luck seemed to be supernatural. She was an avid walker and loved walking with her friends for exercise.
Delores has been called “an angel on earth” and “the world’s greatest mom.” She taught hundreds of children and helped raise numerous others. Many people outside of her family call her grandma. She was best known for her attention to the safety of her children, always demanding that coats be worn outside, snacks be packed for adventures, and sunscreen always applied. When the adventures were over, there was always a hot meal waiting. She gave so many gifts to her family that she had to shorten her signature on cards down to just the letter “G.” For all her amazing qualities she will be most remembered by her family as being an example of the perfect mother and grandmother. She was a pillar of empathy, humility and honor. She was eternally giving, caring and loving. She was the bedrock of our family and our greatest role model.
Remaining to cherish the memory of Delores are her surviving siblings: Joan Studebaker, Barbara Lackman, Jean Kindle, Harold “Butch” Klein Jr., Kathy Rupp, Peggy Otte; children: Debra Rogers, Donn Overacker, and Dean Overacker; grandchildren: Ryan Miller, Stacie Melinte, Derek Sifford, Levi Overacker; great-grandchildren: Taylor Clark, Tracen Miller, John Overacker, Oakleigh Overacker, Ty Overacker, Sophia Overacker, Tate Overacker, and Oscar Melinte.
Preceding Delores in death are husband David Overacker, father Harold Klein, mother Juletta Klein and sister Patricia Klein.
Memorial services are pending. If you would like to donate anything in her honor, her family asks that you follow her example and volunteer and to give some of your free time in the service of others.
