Delores Eileen Frith

Delores Eileen Frith, 78 of Devils Lake, ND passed away early Tuesday morning, December 8, 2015 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND. Funeral Services for Eileen will be held on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, Devils Lake with Reverend Lori Broschat officiating. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Monday, December 14th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will continue at the church on Tuesday one hour prior to the funeral service. Delores Eileen, daughter of John O. Wilkerson Sr. and Opal (Hicks) Wilkerson was born on January 20, 1937 at Cando, ND. She attended St. Mary’s Academy in Devils Lake. Eileen was united in marriage to Gerald Robert Frith on May 2, 1959 at Devils Lake. They made Devils Lake their home until 1964 when they moved to California. While living in California, Eileen worked in a Group Home caring for persons with disabilities. After leaving California the family lived in many places, returning to North Dakota in 1980, living in Warwick, Devils Lake and Starkweather. In 1985, a warmer climate called them to Jacksonville Beach, Florida and Eileen worked for many years as a cashier at Pick and Save. Eileen’s caring heart and desire to always help others told her and Jerry it was time to return to Devils Lake in 2000 to help care for her ailing mother and to be closer to family. And this Eileen did until her death, dedicating herself to family and friends. She loved and cared for her husband until he died on September 9, 2006. After moving back to Devils Lake, Eileen was never idle and she worked in Laundry Service at the Odd Fellows Home for several years, was very active in the Foster Grandparent Program and was a loved Foster Grandma at the Heartland Day Care Center. Eileen enjoyed visits with her daughter Sue rocking babies, playing with the daycare children and holiday events. She loved to bake, cook everyone’s favorite meals and was famous for her homemade bread and many other delicacies. She had started her Christmas baking at the time of her death and of course wanted it to be shared with friends and family. An outing to the Casino was always something Eileen looked forward too. We will miss our dear, precious Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister, Aunt and Friend so very much, but as Eileen said “Rejoice with me and thank our Lord for taking me home…” Eileen is survived by her children James (Alysia) Frith, Spokane, WA, Vickie (Donald) January, Michigan, ND, John Frith, Pennsylvania, Sue Frith, Devils Lake, Cora (Rick) Koepplin, Hunter, ND and Jerry (Joyce) Frith, Aliso Viejo, CA; twenty grandchildren; twenty-one and one on the way, great grandchildren; brother Timothy Bartlett; sisters Judy Elgean and Bonnie (Jack) Bowlby; many nieces, nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents John Wilkerson and Opal Wilkerson-Bartlett; husband Gerald "Jerry"; daughter Denise “Dee Dee” Roberts; sisters Thelma “Tippie” Martin, Cheryl Bartlett, Carol Bartlett and Donna Held; brothers Charles "Chuck" Wilkerson Sr., John “Jack” Wilkerson Jr., Raymond "JR" Bartlett, Gene Bartlett, Michael “Mickey” Bartlett and Richard “Dickey” Hicks. Serving as Casket Bearers for Eileen will be her grandchildren. Honorary Bearers will be her children, James, Vickie, John, Sue, Cora and Jerry.