Jean Catherine (Moellering) Dempewolf entered into eternal rest at Prairie Senior Living Complex in Colby on September 6, 2024. Jean was born June 16, 1931, on a farm near Angelus to John and Elizabeth (Robben) Moellering and was the seventh of ten children.
Jean was raised in a faith-filled Catholic home where the love of God and daily prayer were taught. Early education for Jean was in the Angelus school. She had only completed the eighth grade when her family had to make the decision for Jean to stay home and help on the family farm and care for her nieces and nephews during the war. Jean quickly became the favorite aunt/babysitter and remained close with her nieces and nephews throughout her life.
Jean loved dancing; polkas were her favorite which brought her to a late summer event in 1956 to a dance hall in Rexford. During this dance, Jean met a handsome sailor named Richard (Dick) Dempewolf. The couple married on May 7, 1957 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Angelus. The couple began their life in Oberlin and later relocated to Colby. They purchased a home on French Avenue in 1969 where Jean remained until she moved to Fairview Estates in 2021 and later to Prairie Senior Living Complex. The couple was blessed with four children - Charles, Joann, Steve and Wayne. A devout Catholic lifestyle continued with regular Mass attendance and involvement in the church. Since family was so important, Sundays after Mass were dedicated to spending time visiting parents and siblings around the area. Jean also enjoyed gardening, playing board games, card games, knitting and cross-stitch.
Jean was a homemaker for most of her younger years while the children were home and she took great pride in keeping a clean home and having the family together for homemade meals. She had some cleaning jobs outside the home and did some childcare for close family friends. Jean always had a servant’s heart, volunteered for several organizations including the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Sacred Heart Altar Society, St. Jude Circle, Meals on Wheels and ACS Relay for Life. After the children moved out and started their families, her highlight was to prepare meals, bake cookies, pies and cakes, and make candy for special events and holidays when the family was all together. These days were full of love and laughter, games and, of course, Mass in which many times all of the family members would attend church together.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dick in 2015; son Charles in 2005; sisters Marie Schwarz, Estelle Juenemann, Frances Schwarz and Emelyn Broeckelman and brothers Reynold and Robert Moellering.
Survivors include her children, Joann (Clint) Newton of Salina, Steve (Kim) Dempewolf of Colby, and Wayne (Regina) Dempewolf of Littleton, CO; daughter-in-law Dana Dempewolf of Colby; sister Betty Feldt; brothers, John and Bernie Moellering; grandchildren, Devlin (Miranda) Dempewolf, Tonya (Bobby) Lawson, Brett (Nichole) Dempewolf, Tina (JD) Grace, Carleigh (Chris) Haeffner, Stacey (Sterling) Montgomery, Lindsey (Robert) Bitondo, Jared (Talia) Dempewolf and Lauren (Kolton) Harting and 12 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 5-7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m., on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 9, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Colby. Interment will immediately follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Sacred Heart Church and may be sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com.