Deloris Rhoads Hergenrather

Deloris Rhoads Hergenrather, 77 of Missoula, MT ' formerly of Minot ND & Alexandria, VA died just short of her 78th birthday on Saturday May 9th, 2009 at Hillside Manor after battling dementia for 12 years. Deloris Rhoads Hergenrather was born May 26th, 1931 at home: to George & Julia Rhoads. Beloved of George and Julia, she was raised in Glenburn, ND and graduated from Glenburn High School. After graduation, she moved to Washington, DC to work for the Central Intelligence Agency, where she met Charles Neale Hergenrather, where they were first responders to the Cuban Missile Crisis and to whom she later wed in 1953. Living in Alexandria, her focus was on infusing her three children with the tools to face the world: perseverance, independence, self-reliance and the ability to avoid folding like a cheap chair in the face of adversity. In that time, she enjoyed playing tennis with her friends, painting in the contemporary artistic styles, drawing, playing piano, singing hymns with the family and entertaining friends and family. She was active with her husband in St. Luke's Episcopal Church where she served as the President of the Episcopal Church Women. During this time, she worked at Couture Fabrics in Old Towne Alexandria where she was a creative consultant and taught sewing classes. She later retuned to Minot in 1993, where she resided with her mother ' Julia Rhoads. Julie and Dee looked after each other not unlike the Sisters of Notre Dame, sharing Lena and Olie jokes and watching out for each other. Thanks to Owen and Gary for their wonderful ministrations. Dee is survived by her mother, Julia Rhoads of Minot, and three adult children ' Charles Neale Hergenrather, Jr and his wife Susan: her children Lauren and Jamie of Springfield, VA, Dr. Julie Rhoads Hergenrather, Grand-daughters Jessica and Lauren of Missoula, MT and Louis Shaw Hergenrather, his wife Lisa and Grandchildren Jackson Shaw, Amanda Paige, Charles Cole and Ava Arlene. Services will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery, Minot, ND at 2:30, Thursday May 14 at 2:30pm, with open house to follow at Betty Tweten's residence afterward at 1016 16th Avenue SW, Minot. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. Grogan Funeral Home, Polson, is assiting the family.
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