Doris Fett

Doris Fett, 89 of Lennox, passed away on May 13, 2025 at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Lennox. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 PM Friday, May 16, 2025 at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Living Hope or Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Camp. Arrangements provided by Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home

Doris Mae Fett, 89 of Lennox, passed away on May 13, 2025 surrounded by family, in her 100-year-old farm house outside of Tea. Doris was the third daughter born to Elzo and Gertie (Wagner) Otten on June 27th, 1935. Doris grew up on various farms in the Chancellor and Davis area and remembered floor plans and details of each home. The farm place on the “corner,” south west of Chancellor held her most treasured memories, as she spent her early years here alongside her beloved sisters; Viola, Verla, Karen and Dorothy along with her brother Eldon. Lifelong comments often arose about milking the cows, collecting eggs, mixing slop for the pigs and bringing in the harvest from the garden and the fields. She was proud that she could do every task on the farm but planting corn. Her parents, along with her Aunt Sophia and Uncles Herbert and Jack, left a lasting and loving impression on her and instilling a desire to work hard, to love and help others and to know the Lord.

She attended Wilson Country School just across the gravel road. She loved playing ball and got the nickname of Slugger because she could hit the ball further than anyone, including the boys. It was also there that teacher, Amy Lampert, taught her to embroider which became a life long joy. She threaded a needle up to her last days.

Following graduation from Chancellor High School, Doris graduated with a teacher’s certificate from General Beadle State College in Madison. She spent the next three years teaching country school before meeting the love of her life, LeRoy Eldred Fett. They met while “making loops” with their friends on Phillips Avenue in Sioux Falls. They had a fun courtship and were married on June 7, 1957. They enjoyed over 60 years together of farming, raising four children, attending steam shows, farm sales and endless cups of coffee around their kitchen table. She was a wonderful homemaker. It was hard to get LeRoy to eat out because he said “the best eating was at his own kitchen table.” And the 3:00 coffee break came with a fresh baked goodie. She loved anything and everything her children were involved in; sports, 4-H projects, class assignments, to their travels. Over the years, she had a mother’s sense of when to make a call or send a card with words of love or encouragement and never failed to enclose treat money.

At the heart of their marriage was a deep faith. Doris was a member of Lennox Ebenezer and subsequently, Living Hope in Tea being part of the planting team. Her favorite roles in the church were those involving children from being a Sunday school teacher to starting Child Evangelism Good News Club in Tea to teaching Bible School. She loved Her Lord and truly wanted everyone to have a life in Christ.

Once her children were in high school, Doris began a 33-year career at Bethany Lutheran Home in Sioux Falls as both a nurse and physical therapy assistant. She was recognized numerous times as employee of the month and employee of the year but it was the smiles and loving comments of the residents and cards from their families that was her biggest reward. Following a hard day’s work at Bethany, she loved to do “retail therapy”. Stops at rummage sales and “specialty shops” began the start of her numerous vintage collections including coffee pots, aprons, vases, rolling pins, pretty glass ware, egg beaters, pot holders, sets of canning jars and garden gates.

Doris had many joys in her life including travel with her daughter, Cynthia as well as trips with her sisters, Verla and Viola and her grandkids, Hannah and Hayden. Every summer brought adventures and lifelong memories. She rarely missed an opportunity to see Daniel O’Donnell in concert or stop by an antique or thrift store. She loved time outside on the farm, especially in the summer with her flowers, barn cats and afternoon coffee with the boys on the patio. Her hair appointments with Malenda at the kitchen table were a fun time as they bantered about life while listening to Billy Graham sermons as the curlers dried. Her days always started and ended with prayer and she much preferred reading the Bible and devotions than watching TV. She loved going out on daily outings, but her farmhouse was her favorite place to be. As soon as the van was parked, she would comment, “there’s no place like home.” She loved company and would tell people “Don’t knock, just come in” and they would be greeted with a pretty tablecloth in a cozy, seasonally decorated kitchen and served a treat. One of Doris’s greatest joys came from her grandchildren and later in her life her great grandchildren; Adele, William and Huxlie. She loved every visit, every card and every call. She was amazed by the “technology” of Face Timing that kept them connected. Other than her family, she was most proud that she still had and used “common sense” after almost 90 years of living.

Forever grateful for sharing her life are her children; Phillip Eldred (Judy) of Lennox SD, Steven William of Lennox SD, Malenda Joy (Rob) Hoelscher of rural Rapid City SD and Cynthia Marie of Kansas City, MO; her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Hannah Marie (Don) Anding and their children Adele Mae and Willam Leroy of Parker, CO and Hayden Robert (Kenzie) Hoelscher and their daughter, Huxlie Jenn of Hill City SD and step grandchildren, Audrey (Cody) Belitz family of Rapid City SD, Andrea Glasgow of Sioux Falls SD, Sarah (Jason) Lehrkamp family of Sturgis SD, Casey (Dan) Harmon family of Newcastle, WY. Her sisters Viola Fern Buseman of Marion SD, Karen LaVonne (Larry) Hofer of Sioux Falls SD and Dorothy Marie Buscarello of Denver, CO and a brother-in-law and high school classmate, Duane (Verla) Heeren of Sioux Falls SD.

Doris is preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy; her parents, Elzo and Gertie; and siblings, Mildred Elaine Otten, Eldon E. Otten and Verla Leanna Heeren. She was blessed to have many dear sister/brother-in-law’s, nieces, nephews and cousins along with countless friends and sisters in the Lord.