Dolores Eileen (Bertsch) Pfeifer, the daughter of Peter M. and Helga (Stensholt) Bertsch was born on April 15, 1929 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Rugby, North Dakota.  She died at the age of 88 years on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby, North Dakota.

Dolores was raised on a farm in the Orrin area in her parent’s home.  She received her elementary education at Rural Girard Lake No. 2 school and graduated from Rugby High School in May of 1946.  She attended Minot State Teachers College for two summer sessions after which she furthered her education through extension courses and correspondence and “In Service” Teacher’s Training.  She also wrote and passed the North Dakota Teachers Exams several times to become certified to teach.  In 1946 at age 17, she began teaching in Pierce County schools.  On May 25, 1953, Dolores was united in marriage to Francis J. Pfeifer at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Orrin.  The couple made their home on a farm in Girard Lake Township east of Orrin, which they rented until purchasing in 1961.  Together, they raised grain and livestock until their retirement in 1996 when they sold their livestock, equipment and land.  In September of 1996, she and Francis moved off the farm and to Rugby where they built a home for themselves.

Dolores was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Orrin until her marriage, she then became a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Balta and belonged to Christian Mothers, served as a lector during mass and taught CCD classes for two years.  She became a member of Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby after moving to town.  Dolores had many hobbies including, sewing, reading, gardening, wood working, music and more.  She enjoyed playing cards and watching the many birds that came to her bird feeders. She never liked to cook, but still prepared many German and Norwegian foods.  She did a lot of baking, canning and freezing foods.  She always liked farm life and working with her husband in the field and yard.  There garden was always large enough to take care of the neighborhood.

Dolores is survived by her husband; brother, Ralph Bertsch of Rugby; sister-in-law, Christine Bertsch; many nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by sisters, Marian Wentz and Hilda Brooks; brothers, Edward and Wilfred; numerous in-laws; and her parents. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 16^th at Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby with spring burial in the church cemetery.  Father Neil Pfeifer, Celebrant and Father Prabhakar Marneni, Concelebrant.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby with a rosary and vigil prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue Tuesday from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.  There will be no reviewal in the church.