Delores Mae Cornelius

Delores Mae Cornelius, age 93, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026. She was born on October 11, 1932, to Peder and Alma Skogrand. The youngest of seven children - four brothers and two sisters - Delores grew up on a farm near Milan, Minnesota, where she learned the values of hard work, faith, and family that would guide her throughout her life. She was baptized and confirmed in the Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Montevideo and graduated from Milan High School in 1950. In 1952, she proudly served as Fiesta Queen of Montevideo, a memory she cherished for many years. On August 23, 1953, Delores married the love of her life, Don Cornelius of Clarkfield, Minnesota. Together they moved to the Twin Cities, where they built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and strong Norwegian traditions. Delores devoted herself to being a stay-at-home mother and generously volunteered her time at Fraser School. She also faithfully helped with funeral services at their church, always ready to serve others in times of need. Delores was well known for her homemade cookies and her deep love of baking. She always seemed to know exactly what kind of treat to have ready depending on who was coming to visit. A beautiful, strong, and wonderfully stubborn Norwegian woman, she took great pride in her lefse and flatbread skills - traditions she lovingly passed down through generations. Her hobbies included embroidering dishtowels, quilting, and baking, but her greatest joy came from time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were her favorite visitors and the light of her life. Delores is now reunited in heaven with her parents; her beloved husband of 70 years, Don; her daughter Laurie; her son Lynn; and her brothers, sisters, and other dear family members. She is lovingly survived by her daughter Gail (Scott) Kleven; son-in-law Greg Youmans; grandchildren Dan (Sara) Youmans, Natalie (Tim) Pust, Andrea (Ryan) Crozier, Kelli (Kyle) Malsom, Braeden (Kaylee) Kleven, and Blake Kleven; and great-grandchildren Caleb and Asher Youmans; Leila, Makiah, and Adelyn Pust; Conrad Crozier; Breken, Everly, and Sylas Malsom; and Brynlee, Makenna, and Nash Kleven. Delores will be remembered for her steady faith, her generous heart, her delicious baking, and the loving home she created for all who knew her. Her legacy lives on in the traditions she shared, the family she nurtured, and the countless lives she touched. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Optage Hospice, Presbyterian Homes Foundation or Bergen Lutheran Church in Granite Falls, MN.

Tributes

Delores Mae Cornelius

October 11, 1932 - March 7, 2026

Tributes

Delores Mae Cornelius

October 11, 1932 - March 7, 2026

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