Delores Elizabeth Elliott

Elliott, Delores Elizabeth (Vitally) Born on February 26, 1924 in St. Paul to Italian immigrant parents who came to Ellis Island via the S.S. Adriatic and S.S. Caserta. Preceded in death by husband Milton and Grandmother Angela Sarracco. Survived by beloved daughters Karen Moe and Joan (Bill) Cannon. She delighted in her 7 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Lillian Bell and brother Donald Vitally. Delores was a full time West Sider of St. Paul although her family made a brief move to Harris, Minnesota during the depression where she was kidnapped at the age of 7 by a bank robber. Following a harrowing police chase, her captor released her and she was returned unharmed to her parents. Following the move back to St. Paul Delores thrived while attending elementary and secondary school. Spending the majority of her free time at the Riverview Library she enjoyed reading about faraway places. Delores always had an intense curiosity about people and the world that they lived in. Later in life she joined Friendship Force which allowed her to experience other cultures, languages and their customs. These adventures included travels to Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Ghana, Czech Republic, South Korea, Israel, Ireland and multiple trips to Italy. As a young mother of two small children she operated a dairy farm while her husband was experiencing acute health issues. For economic reasons the family was forced to move back to the cities where she quickly found employment as an assembler and inspector at an electronics company where she worked for 22 years. She was a successful candidate for president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2047. She was then elected to a national coordinating committee which worked out resolutions on minimum wage, full employment, adequate welfare, federally aided child care and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Always a tenacious, progressive woman ahead of her time she had a strong sense of justice and saw herself as someone who needed to do something about it. After working 22 years in a male dominated factory, Delores made the remarkable decision to pursue a Bachelors of Arts in Social Work from the University of Minnesota at the age of 53. She was a social worker for Catholic Charities supporting elderly seniors with long standing addiction. She strongly supported that "transformative music therapy can help replace the harsh sounds of the chemically dependent environment of detoxification centers, police sirens and bar room chaos." Based on her own experience Delores believed in the power of education. She believed that education is the path to success. She shared this with her entire family, colleagues, store cashiers, coffee shop patrons and even at bus stops. Delores had a keen eye for beauty and the arts. Ushering at the Ordway in her retirement years fed her passion for music and theatre. Although she was not a master gardener, Delores had a gift for gardening. She greatly enjoyed getting her hands in the dirt and planting flowers and vegetables each spring. As her family when we think of our magnificent Mother and Grandmother, we think of a verse from Thomas A. Kempis from the Imitation of Christ. "Love keeps watch and is never unaware, even when it sleeps; tired, it is never exhausted; hindered, it is never defeated; alarmed, it is never afraid; but a living flame and a burning torch it bursts upward and blazes forth..." We love you always and forever. Due to COVID-19, there will be a private family burial.

Tributes

Delores Elizabeth Elliott

February 26, 1924 - May 21, 2020

Tributes

Delores Elizabeth Elliott

February 26, 1924 - May 21, 2020

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203