Delores Kathryn “Dee” Nelson Dalen, age 94, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026 at her home at Pelican Landing in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Dee was born on September 25, 1931 in Moorhead, Minnesota to Christian and Viola Nelson. She grew up in Hawley Minnesota. In 1953, Dee graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota with a B.A. degree in History and English and a minor in music. She was a charter member of the Alpha Chi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. On June 13, 1954 she married Robert “Bob” Dalen in Hawley, Minnesota. Together they raised four children: Jan Bieringer of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; John (Lynne) Dalen of Pipestone, Minnesota; Julie (Steven) Hanson of Audubon, Minnesota; and Joni (David) Fischenich of Windom, Minnesota.

As a teacher, Dee taught for several years in high schools in Minnesota including Fairfax, Wood Lake, and Granite Falls. Beginning in 1970, she taught business English at the Granite Falls Area Vocational Technical Institute. She was awarded Teacher of the Year 1984-1985 by the Granite Falls School Board. She retired from teaching in 1987.

Dee was active in her church and community, serving as the primary organist at the Granite Falls Lutheran Church for many years. She was active in the local Sons of Norway, League of Women Voters, Yellow Medicine Historical Society, the Red Hat Society, and Study Club. When they relocated to Lake Ida, Dee became a member of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion (WMSTR) in Rollag, Minnesota where she devoted many Labor Day weekends to working in the Ladies Activities Building demonstrating her talents in Hardanger needlework. From Lake Ida, they moved to Hawley, then Moorhead, and finally to Detroit Lakes.

Dee’s love of and talent in music started as a young girl and she would take the train from Hawley to Fargo-Moorhead for piano and organ lessons. Throughout her life she filled her home, church and community with music as she accompanied many singing groups and soloists, theatrical presentations and talent shows wherever they were living. Dee had many hobbies including camping, history, antique and artifact collecting, sewing, and crafts. She was happy to teach Hardanger to anyone interested. In later years she enjoyed paint-by-number painting and Diamond Art. In addition to her musical skills Dee occasionally revealed her comic skills as “Lena” with her husband “Ole” in their senior community in Harlingen Texas. With Bob, Dee enjoyed many winters there and also in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Dee is preceded in death by Bob, her husband of 71+ years who died December 12, 2025; her parents; and a son-in-law John Bieringer, Jr. She is survived by their four children; seven grandchildren, Leandra (Jake) Dalen-VanDeGriend, Noah Dalen, Erin (Benji) Santala, Lauren (Josh) McGrath, Sam (Kelsey) Fischenich, Sarah (Nate)Segal, Joe (Lindsey) Fischenich; and seven great grandchildren.

There will be a celebration of life service together for Dee and Bob Dalen on Saturday, May 16, 2026 with visitation from 2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M., followed by the memorial service at 3:00 P.M. at Hawley Lutheran Church, Hawley MN. Final resting place will be at Hawley Cemetery, Hawley, MN following the service.