A pillar of her community and a mainstay of her family, Dolores Swartz, 99, died March 28, 2025 in Huron, S.D.

View Dolores' Funeral Folder

Her funeral service was held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, April 3, at the First Presbyterian Church in Wessington, S.D. with burial at the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery in Huron.

Visitation was held one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

Dolores Irene Barnes was born Nov. 16, 1925 to Inger (Wangsness) and David H. Barnes in Dearborn Township, Beadle County, S.D. She had a brother, William Harold, and a sister, Carol Rae. They lived on a farm northeast of the small town of Virgil until 1931 when they moved into Virgil. David Barnes was a farmer-rancher all his life. Inger was a teacher prior to their marriage.

Dolores attended country school in Dearborn Township through the first grade, and completed grade school and high school in the Virgil School in 1943. She graduated Huron College in 1947 and received a teaching certificate from South Dakota, and then from Minnesota. She taught high-school business subjects in Jeffers, Minn., for four years at an annual salary of $2,500.

On June 27, 1948, she married Charles Swartz of Jeffers at the Virgil Methodist Church.  They lived in Jeffers until 1957 when they moved to Huron to help her father with the farm. The next year they moved to their farm in Sand Creek Township,

Dolores and Charles had seven children: David Charles, Robert Lewis, Carolyn Jeanne, Daniel Richmond, Richard Alan, Kathryn Ann and Bradley Kent. All but one have graduated from college.

In 1967, Charles was offered the postmaster position in Wessington. The family had a farm auction, and moved into town in 1967, eventually residing on Clare Street, "a nice home, with a big yard and garden, and many trees planted."

Dolores was confirmed in the Methodist Church in Virgil, the same church in which she was baptized in 1928. The family later joined the Methodist Church in Jeffers. After moving to Wessington, they became members of First Presbyterian Church, where Dolores was ordained an elder and deacon. She was active in the women's groups in both churches and, for many years taught Sunday School, served on the education committee, and played piano in the Virgil Church.

Dolores was instrumental in planning and supporting construction of the new Presbyterian Church in Wessington.

Charles also was ordained an elder and was clerk of session for many years at Wessington Presbyterian,

In 1972, a new public library was built and furnished in Wessington and Dolores was named assistant librarian. She became librarian in 1980. In 1977, she also became school librarian in the Wessington School. At that time, she began attending Northern State College enabling her to renew her teaching certificate and be qualified as a librarian.

The school in Wessington burned down in 1976, and a beautiful new building was built in 1977. Dolores was responsible for completely building up a new library, a task she thoroughly enjoyed. She retired from the school in 1987.

Sadly Charles died on Dolores' birthday Nov. 16, 1991, at the age of 64.

Dolores was active in many organizations in the community, and held many offices. She was a member of the Presbyterian Women, GFWC Wessington Women's Study Club, American Legion Auxiliary, OES, PALS (library), and SDLA.

Dolores and Charles also were very involved in their children's school activities. They attended organizations of the postmasters in South Dakota, and was secretary of the South Dakota Branch of the auxiliary to the National League of Postmasters.

Dolores is survived by her children, David (Denise) Swartz of Hot Springs, S.D., Carolyn (Marc) Stergionis of Great Falls, Mont., Daniel (Becky) Swartz of Rochester, Minn., Richard Swartz of Wessington, Kathryn Swartz of Salt Lake City, Utah and Bradley (Shelly Auen) Swartz of Worthington, Minn.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jeff Swartz, Jason Swartz, Amy Ihde, Kathryn Stergionis Brehe, Adam Stergionis, Carmen Kubista, Melissa Feldman and Darin Swartz; as well as 18 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; eight step-great grandchildren; and two step-great-great grandchildren.

Her sister, Carol Sabers of Omaha, Neb., also survives Dolores.

She was predeceased by her husband; parents; son, Robert; grandson, Christopher Swartz; and brother, William Barnes.

Ever a proud South Dakotan, Dolores wrote "The future looks bright for our family, with all the children holding productive jobs, and happy with their families. I believe the future is also bright with our small community and state, if we continue to work for the common good."

View Dolores' Floral Arrangements