Karene Duchsherer

Drake resident her entire

life, died Wednesday,

January 13, 2021.

A private family service

will be held with burial

beside her husband, Mike,

and her son, Mark in the

Balfour Cemetery. We are

remembering our Mom

and the beautiful influ-

ence she was on us. She

loved us immensely, and

leaves us to co-exist with

the joy of her life, but now

in sadness of her loss.

Karene Kemper,

daughter of Clayton W.

and Ida L. (Keszler)

Kemper, was born Sep-

tember 29 at the Drake

Hospital — a 10 lb.

Newborn!

She was raised south of

Drake in Spring Grove

Township and received

her early education at a

nearby rural school. She

then attended and gra-

duated from Drake High

School. During her high

school years, Karene

worked at the soda foun-

tain at the Drake Drug

Store. An honor she held

was being crowned Dairy

Princess. Following high

school, she taught country

school for a short time.

Karene and Mike

Duchsherer were married

on November 8. They

worked side by side

through the years farming

with their children. Her

delight was being with

her family, driving grain

trucks and helping with

cattle and crop. She al-

ways had a hot meal made

and packed, to take along

to the farm to feed her

family.

In addition to being a

full-time mom and help-

ing run the farm, all of her

life, Karene was involved

in the school and church

activities of her children,

Kimberly, Mark, Kathy

and Michael. She drove

school bus for Drake Pub-

lic School for a number of

years and was always

loved and respected by

the students. She also

found time to work as a

postal clerk at the Drake

Post Office for many

years. Karene never met a

stranger — everyone was

a friend.

Karene attended the

Evangelical United

Brethren Church of Drake,

which is now Salem Unit-

ed Methodist Church,

where she remained a

member.

Family: Carrying on her

memory are her daughter,

Kimberly (Dwight) Hegel

of Bismarck (“I’m the

favorite”), her daughter,

Kathy Duchsherer of

Minot (“Love you more”)

and her son, Michael

Duchsherer of Drake

(“She loved me the

most”); two grandsons,

Chad (Jessica) Hegel and

their daughter Kylee He-

gel of Bismarck and

Chane Hegel and Erica of

Fargo; a number of foster

grandchildren, including

Vedrana, Nicole, Mitchell

and Myles; her sister,

Gwen Tucker and family

of Pittsburgh, PA;

sisters-in-law, Lena

Richter of Brooklyn Park,

MN and Magdalena

Duchsherer of Drake; and

a brother-in-law and

sister-in-law, Jack and

Florence Duchsherer of

Velva.

She is also survived by

many special cousins,

nieces and nephews who

were loved by Karene.

Karene was preceded

in death by: her husband,

Mike; her son, Mark; and

her parents, Clayton and

Ida — all of whom passed

away in the month of Oc-

tober in various years.

Karene maintained her

spirit and a drive of mov-

ing forward despite hav-

ing had 55 kidney stone

surgeries and procedures.

She was an inspiration to

the doctors, nurses, fami-

ly and many others in her

perseverance, will and

strength. Rest Mom, until

we see you again.

Online condolences

may be shared at nelson-

funeral homesnd.com.