Dolores Marie (Schmitt) Deneault, 94, died peacefully at North Central Kansas Medical Center on October 23, 2023, surrounded by her children. She was born August 11, 1929, to Louis and Mary (Hake) Schmitt in Tipton, Kansas. Eventually, she would become the fifth child of seven.
She lived her life in service to others and that gave her the most joy. This started at an early age when her father asked her to drop out of Tipton High School, before her senior year to take care of her mother who was very ill. Though it was difficult to watch her friends graduate without her, she always did whatever was needed for her family regardless of the sacrifices required.
Dolores loved to dance, especially polka, and one night in Beloit she met her forever dance partner, Levi Deneault. They were married on October 22, 1947, in Tipton and would make their home on a farm southeast of Concordia. In addition to caring for their six children, Dolores worked with her husband on the farm driving wheat to the elevator, taking care of cattle and chickens, and canning produce from the garden. In 1969, they moved to a house in Concordia.
Dolores earned her high school diploma via correspondence in 1972. Over the years, she worked at the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office, Fairmont Foods, and the Blade Empire until her retirement in 1992.
Dolores spent her retirement playing cards, landscaping, volunteering at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and dancing with Levi until his death in 2013.
For their high school graduation gifts, Dolores made all her granddaughters quilts and crocheted blankets for her grandsons. Hosting and cooking for all her children and grandchildren at the holidays was by far her favorite pastime. With 17 grandchildren, there were times when sardines had more room than a Deneault family gathering, but you could never convince Dolores there was not room for one more at her table and few things disappointed her more than when family members could not attend.
Even in her nineties, she attended as many family gatherings or grandchildren activities as possible, went to mass weekly, and stayed up late on Saturday nights to polka dance in her living room.
She was a member of Our Lady Perpetual Help Church, its Alter Society, Former Aurora Ladies club, marathon card group, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Concordia Moose Club.
In addition to her husband, Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Brenda Deneault; grandson Jesse Larkins; great granddaughter Karsten Begnoche; granddaughter-in-law Krystal Link, sisters Madalyn Schulte, Catherine Streit, Irene Barton; and brothers Leo and Paul Schmitt.
Dolores is survived by her children Sam (Linda), Dallas, TX; Deanna Link (Jerry), Delphos; Jolene Crotinger (Rod), Concordia; Don (Jeanette) and Galen (Debbie), Concordia. Her 17 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.
She also leaves behind her sister Sally Lokey and sisters-in-law Gloria Hoffman Hall and Ella Livengood.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 29, 2023, from 1-6 p.m., at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia, Kansas.
A Vigil/Rosary Service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, October 29, 2023 at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The family will receive friends after the Vigil/Rosary Service.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 30, 2023 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Concordia, Kansas, with Fr. Joseph Kieffer officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Concordia Cemetery, Concordia, Kansas.
Memorials contributions may be given to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church or the St. Concordia Cemetery. In care of Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, PO Box 606, Concordia, KS 66901. For online condolences, please visit www.chaputbuoy.com