Dolores Marie Magruder

Dolores Marie Magruder

Dolores was born at home in Imperial, Nebraska, on October 5, 1933, to William and Winnie Johnson Edwards. She was baptized in the Lutheran Church when five days old. She was the first of four children welcomed into the family, followed by Donna (deceased), Kenneth Edwards of Imperial, NE, and Joann Fortkamp of Imperial, NE. They lived with their grandparents on their farm where they milked cows and had a large garden. Some of her fondest memories of her childhood were riding horses and coyote hunting with her father from horseback. Her father would wear his best overalls and suitcoat for Sunday church, riding a horse and the rest of the family followed in a horse drawn buggy. Their family was quite musical and often played instruments and sang for local barn dances. Dolores played the mouth harp, guitar, and ocarina (flute). The family moved into Imperial in 1950, where they enjoyed running water and electricity for the first time! When her grandmother could spare some change, she would give the kids each five cents a month to spend. Dolores usually came home with a pocket full of Tootsie Rolls.

Dolores attended country school through 8th• Grade and then Chase County High School. She played baseball and softball and became a life-long history student.

She met her future husband, Bill, at the Kilpatrick Ranch where her dad and Bill worked. They married on March 21, 1953, in the First Baptist Church of Englewood. They lived in Vernon with Bill's mother where they both worked on the Stults farm. They moved to Fort Morgan in 1955 where Bill became employed. In 1957, they returned to Wray, building their final home north of Wray. Sometime after marriage, much to her surprise, Dolores discovered that her name was actually spelled Dolores, with an "O", and not Delores, with an "E" and she was celebrating her birthday on the wrong date!

Their family was blessed with three children, Susan, Alan, and William Jr. Being a devoted wife and mother brought Dolores great joy and pride. She enjoyed supporting the kids and their friends in all their outside activities, school, and sports. Later on, she thoroughly enjoyed being a grandma that was known for her generosity, bits of wisdom, and spoiling the entire family with her time, energy, and many talents.

Dolores started working at age 14 washing dishes at a local restaurant and cleaning at a local motel. Upon returning to Wray, she kept quite busy with housekeeping and ironing jobs. Other jobs she used her pioneer spirit and enthusiasm in were being employed as head cook in the local school district for over 17 years, mail carrier in Yuma County, cleaning various businesses, working at Duckwall's, Eagles Nest, the local liquor store, and the 55 & Over Club. Bill and Dolores started their personal business, Magruder Construction, in 1958, and closed in 2004, due to Bill's health.

Meanwhile, at their home, she helped care for the "Magruder Zoo" that included emus, goats, pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and a goldfish pond.

Dolores' generous and loving heart enabled her to provide motherly duties to many children for many years. It didn't matter if it was the neighbors and friend's kids or relatives ... they were all "her" kids. She doled out lots of cookies, love and hugs, Band-Aids ... and some very well-earned spankings! Through her motherly care, many valuable life lessons were learned by all of these "little rascals"!

Her ability to make anybody feel welcome in their home was amazing. She always took the time to furnish some homemade goodies and coffee, and an open invitation to visit, and just sit for awhile. She had a sixth sense of knowing that people needed the down time and someone to listen to their situations, good and not so good. This created many memories for family, friends, and community members. And who still doesn't crave one of her delicious, warm, cinnamon rolls?

Dolores always found time to pursue just about any hand craft, excelling in crocheting, knitting, and sewing. Her favorite pastimes included quilting, baking, canning food, cooking and reading. A Wray Gazette article featured her as "The Lollypop Lady." She averaged making 300 lollypops a week, using approximately 50 lbs. of sugar a week, in 30 different flavors. Cheerleaders sold them as fundraisers and schoolteachers and moms placed orders for special events and holidays.

She took great pride in sewing the Wray Eagles wrestling team their singlets (uniforms} for many years. She also assisted with a local church vacation Bible school several times.

Dolores and Bill enjoyed traveling throughout the nation on their motorcycle. Bill would make the comment that the motorcycle got heavier the further they traveled because Dolores was always finding small souvenirs for someone. They also enjoyed any fishing and hunting trips they could squeeze in. They often went rattle snake hunting with Delores driving the pickup and Bill sitting in the back on a chair with loaded guns readily accessible. They acquired a large collection of rattles as trophies. When hunting coyotes, there was a bounty on them and this money helped stretch their monthly budget.

She will be missed by her entire family of brother, sister, kids, grandkids, great grandkids, great-great grandkids, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors, and residents of the surrounding communities.

Many will remember her wonderful sense of humor and one of her favorite sayings of "Oh ... my ... my".

A memorial service will be held at Jones Family Funeral Home Friday, October 23, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.