Delphine Florence Lerud, age 100, of Valley City passed away peacefully from natural causes surrounded by family on August 8, 2018 at her daughter’s home in Fort Collins, Colorado. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM Friday, August 31st at the Lerud Mathias Funeral Home Chapel in Valley City. Visitation will be held one hour before the service. Inurnment will be in Hillside Cemetery, Valley City.

Delphine was born in Rogers, North Dakota and was the youngest daughter of Joseph and Rose Starke.  She graduated from Valley City Normal School and attended Business College in Bismarck.

On October 20, 1943 she married Wayne Lerud in Valley City and moved to Leal where Wayne farmed. They moved their home to Valley City in 1953 where they raised their three children.  For the rest of her life, Delphine remained in their family home where she was a homemaker. She enjoyed sewing clothing for her daughters and herself, gardening and tending to her flowers brought her joy. Other hobbies Delphine enjoyed were ceramics and stained glass projects which she shared with family and friends. Delphine was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and sang in the choir for many years. She volunteered at the hospital making favors for food trays. She was a talented cook.

Delphine is survived by her daughter Carole (Jack) Rutledge of Fort Collins, Colorado, her son Allan Lerud of Valley City and Step-daughter Sally Nelson of Mankato, MN; and by her grandchildren Tamara Stevens, Lisa Gallegos, Kristin Lewis, Brian Rutledge, and Alysa Miller; and by her great-grandchildren Tyler and Taia Gallegos Jack and Alex Stevens, Owen and Katie Lewis and Sydney and Hunter Welch; and by special nieces Donna and Darlene Peterson and special cousin Ramona Klein.

Delphine was preceded in death by her husband Wayne Lerud, her daughter Bonita Welch, a grandson, Daniel Welch, her sisters Myrtle Lines and Irene Schilling and her brothers Roy and Howard Starke,

Thank you to her neighbors and care providers for their kindness and loving care.