Beloved Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother, Delois Guenther passed away Thursday, November 12, 2015. She was 85 years old. She was born in Greenwood, Arkansas, and moved with her mom, dad, and two younger brothers to Burrell, California, when she was eight years old. Two years later the family moved to Oakdale where she spent the remainder of her life. Delois learned at an early age the importance of family, and the responsibilities of taking care of others which she did her entire life. She often helped her mom, Donnie Dickens, with the household chores and the raising of her younger siblings.
Delois worked as a waitress at the Jukebox (currently Cahoots) and had fond memories of her roller-skating days while taking customer orders. She met and married the love of her life, Orville Guenther in 1950. She often shared her early memories with her children about how they met. He and a group of his friends offered her and another girl a ride to a high school game. She told her friend that night that he was the one she was going to marry. They were married for 65 years. He passed away one week shy of their anniversary.
She raised seven children, has nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Delois was an amazing mom and homemaker. Growing up, the Guenther house was the place to be on a game-day Friday. She would make hamburgers for all her children’s friends, and it was always a full house. She also had plenty of chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven for all. Everyone was welcome at the Guenther house. She wore many hats including: cook, chauffer, housewife, and most of all group leader. She and her husband were an amazing team. She was supportive of all her children’s sports, cheerleading adventures, and childhood endeavors.
Delois always put everyone’s needs above her own. On December 7, 2012, they lost their home of 50 years to an electrical fire. Delois and Orv were able to take this tragedy and make it into a positive. They rebuilt their home, and she enjoyed living there for the past three years. Delois was an amazing mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She rarely missed her grandchildren’s soccer, baseball, water polo, or softball games. She was lovingly known as the Johansen High School softball team’s cookie maker, and favorite grandma figure. Many didn’t know that she was an excellent athlete in her younger years. Her love of softball is what inspired her girls to excel and become passionate about the game. She was Orville’s right-hand assistant. She kept score, made sure everyone was at the field on time, and often was the referee for after-game home disputes. Orville, Delois and the entire Guenther family were honored and inducted into the Oakdale Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. This was an honor the entire family cherished.
She was preceded in death by her husband Orville, her mother Donnie Dickens, her father Earl Owens, her mother and father-in-law Conrad and Ruth Guenther, her brother Jerry Owens, her two brothers-in-law Bob and Marion Guenther, her cousin Duane and his wife Fran Guenther, and her niece and nephew Gary Guenther and Gayle Richards. She leaves behind her seven children and their spouses: Susan and (Ruben) Castaneda, Michael and (Katie) Guenther, Debbie Guenther, Jim and (Janice) Guenther, Robin and (Rhonda Forsberg) Guenther, Cathy Benjamin and Becky Guenther. She also leaves her nine grandchildren and their spouses: Carie and (Jason) Pelucca, Michelle and (Dave) DeCoito, Carlos Castaneda, Steven Guenther, Leah Hasmorh, Whitney Guenther, Nikki Scruggs and (Walter Ramirez), Scotty Scruggs, and Chelsea Guenther. She was also blessed with six great-grandchildren, Cole and Tess Pelucca, Breanna and Vivian DeCoito, and Kayla and Kourtney Castaneda. Although she will be remembered and missed by many, she will be reunited with her true love and the memories she leaves behind with her family and friends will not fade away but continue to shine brightly.
A rosary service will be held at Oakdale Memorial Chapel 830 West F Street, on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 3:00-6:00. The memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the corner of Oak and Olive streets, Oakdale, on Friday, Nov. 20, at 10:00 a.m. Final burial will be held at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Reception will follow burial. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a favorite charity of your choice.

The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Nov. 18, 2015