Dolores A. "Del" Schweder
Dolores Ann “Del” Schweder, age 95, of Marquette, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin.
She was born March 16, 1928, in Milwaukee, WI, the daughter of Marvin and Marcella Yager Strahota. Del was a 1945 graduate of Markesan High School. On November 30, 1946, she was united in marriage to Merrill Schweder at Zion Lutheran Church in Kingston.
Del was office manager and co-owner with her husband at Strahota Marine. In addition to her job as a SuperMom, Del worked at Ripon Good Cookies, Miles Kimball and Markesan High School. She was a Sunday School teacher, Girl Scout Troop mentor, American Red Cross volunteer, and active member of Order of Eastern Star who served as a Grand Representative, advocate and speaker for her developmentally challenged son, Richard. Del was a proud cheerleader and protective lioness to Jon, Kristi and Deb and many other young people who became "family" and were loved and cared for by Del. She shepherded them through pimples, prom dresses, college crises, heartbreaks and triumphs, while snatching dust from the air as the perfect wife, mom and grandma with humor, joy and intelligence that supported their needs and protected them as they grew. Del was simply the best and will be loved and missed always by all who knew her! She was a member of Berlin United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her son, Jon Schweder; two daughters, Kristine Green and Debra Atwater; three grandchildren, Andrea (Daniel) Klapper, Kristina (Joseph) Violetto and Jon Dean (Amy) Dolgner; and seven great-grandchildren, Aaron, Jesse, Tiffany, Heidi, Andrew, Natalee and Colin. Del was preceded in death by her husband, Merrill in 1997, son, Richard Schweder; grandson, Sean Klapper; two sons-in-law, William “Bill” Atwater and John Wassong; and special friend and companion, Thomas Barbola.
A gathering of family and friends and inurnment in Grand View Cemetery in Marquette will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Mill Pond Library in Kingston and Special Olympics. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Del Schweder, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.
Online condolences may be submitted and sent using the form below. You may also email condolences to the family through "barbolafc@yahoo.com". All condolences are private and sent only to the family.