Delores Kerbaugh, 86 of Hill City, Kansas passed away at Dawson Place May 30, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family. Delores was born December 16, 1938, in Ellis, Kansas to Adam and Anna (Flax) Geist. She attended grade school in Ellis and at Prairie Home. Delores graduated from Hill City High School with the class of 1957.
She married Rex Kerbaugh in Wakeeney, Kansas January 30, 1960. Children quickly followed and by 1969 she was the proud mother of six children. At one point Delores and Rex had four children aged three and under! Rex passed away in 2019 shortly before celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. While raising their family they lived on a farm south of Hill City. Raising large gardens and caring for animals was a family affair. This helped instill hard work and responsibility in her children. In 1991 Delores and Rex moved into town after the kids were grown. Delores worked for USD 281 as a cook at Hill City High School for 30 years. She is still known for her vegetable soup, golden bricks (grilled cheese sandwiches), and those awesome homemade cinnamon rolls! After retiring Delores joined the Hospital Auxiliary - the Pink Ladies as she called them. She helped with their luncheons, craft sales, and sitting at the front desk at the hospital.
Delores loved to do embroidery projects. The tablecloths, pillows, pillowcases were given as gifts or sold at the Pink Lady craft table. Her favorite items were her kitchen tea towels which she gave as gifts to all her daughters and daughters-in-law, and every granddaughter. Even a grandson requested a set when he got his own apartment which pleased her. When stitching became difficult for her to do, she enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles which Anita made sure she had a supply to do. Only 300 pieces and you only did them once! She also enjoyed painting on her tablet.
Delores moved into Dawson in November of 2024 right before Thanksgiving when she could no longer be at home by herself with health issues. She loved her time at Dawson. She especially enjoyed her friendship with Doris Coddington. They spent time together watching her big screen TV and visiting. You could hear them cheering on their Chiefs, KU Jayhawks, and Royals or singing with Dannie O’Donnell.
Delores was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Rex; one son Bernard; two infant great grandsons; and one sister Janet Sporing. She is survived by five children: Kathy (Ross) Van Pelt of Salina, Kansas; Kenneth (Geralynn) of Tonganoxie, Kansas; Karen (Tim) Pfeifer of Shawnee, Kansas; James (Anita) of Hill City, KS; and Tracey (Tony) Herman of rural Hill City; daughter-in-law Bonnie Kerbaugh; 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren with number 13 due in July. She is also survived by her sisters Elaine Werth of Wakenney, Kansas; Frieda Werth of Wichita, Kansas; brothers, Norman Geist and Don Geist both of Wakeeney, Kansas. Delores’s love for her family and her deep faith will be the things we remember and cherish.
A wake will be held Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hill City, Kansas at 7:00 p.m. Funeral service is Friday, June 6, 2025, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 2:00 p.m. with burial following in Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Masses or Dawson Place and may be mailed to Delores Kerbaugh Memorial in care of Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 N. Pomeroy, Hill City, Kansas 67642.