Delphine "Della" Lutovsky

Della’s service will be viewable on this page at 10:00 A.M. Monday, November 20, 2023

Delphine “Della” Lutovsky, aged 94, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 13, 2023, at Eventide on Eighth in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Della was born on August 6, 1929, to John and Delphina Misialek. She and her older sister, Leona, grew up on a farm south of Oakwood, ND. She attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse nearby and graduated from Minto High School in Minto, ND, in 1947. It was there that she met the love of her life, Leonard Lutovsky. Leonard had recently returned from serving in the US Army during WWII.

The young couple farmed for a few years and then built the “little yellow house” next to Leonard’s parents in Voss, ND, and together they raised 9 children. While Leonard worked in grain elevators in East Grand Forks, MN, and later for his father at the Voss Grain Company, Della became the rural postmistress, a position she held for over 20 years. The post office was created from a bedroom in their house when an external door was added. All her children were unpaid apprentices.

Following Leonard’s sudden death in 1980, Della and her youngest child, Jennifer, moved to Grand Forks. She later relocated to the Fargo area and spent winters in Mesa, AZ. She also loved to travel, going on an Alaskan cruise, trips to Hawaii, California, Washington, DC, and a tour of Italy.
Della was an extraordinary baker. Her kolache, cinnamon rolls, raisin rye bread, and apple pies were legendary. She often said that she was forced to become a good cook, because her 9 children descended from the school bus each day like a pack of hungry wolves. Della also loved to play pinochle and took no prisoners. Everyone knew that you needed to bring your “A” game if you played cards with her!

Della is survived by her children: Roger Lutovsky, Hamilton, MT; Nancy (Ron) Gette, Gainesville, TX; Sandra Lutovsky, Moorhead, MN; Peggy Lutovsky, Bismarck, ND; Jim Lutovsky, Manteno, IL; Kristi (Al) Hintz, Fargo, ND; and Jennifer (Darin) Johnson, Rogers, MN; her grandchildren: Mandy Tollefson, Derek Lutovsky, Colby Lysne, Maggi Lund, Justin Lutovsky, Ashley Robinson, and Jake Hintz; and 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister and brother-in-law, Leona and Henry Riske; two oldest sons: Bob (Joan) Lutovsky and Donnie Lutovsky; and daughter-in-law, Sandra (Jim) Lutovsky.

Della’s family would like to thank the staff at Ethos Hospice and Eventide on Eighth for their kind and compassionate care of our mother during her final months of life.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Sts. Anne & Joachim Catholic Church, Fargo, ND, on Monday, November 20th, at 10 AM. Visitation will be for one hour preceding the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.