Delores "Dody" Raga

Hill City - Delores Arlene Shafer was born May 7 ^th , 1932 to Wesley and Mabel Shafer.  She spent her earliest years near Sheridan Lake, and moved with her family to Hill City, SD at the age of 7, after their home was destroyed by a fire. Hill City was her home for most of her life.  Dody passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Fountain Springs Healthcare Center in Rapid City.

Dody met her future husband, Horace Raga, while attending Hill City High School.  They attended college in Chadron, NE, and were married at the Little White Church in Hill City on September 30, 1951. They shared 65 years of love and fun together. The only time Dody was out of the Hill City area was when she followed Horace to various locations after he enlisted in the Navy. They followed their hearts back to the Black Hills in 1954, and there they remained.

Dody was completely devoted to their two sons, Larry and Ken, and they shared many adventures as a family.  She assisted the boys in their nightcrawler business, and got them out of trouble when they skipped school to go fishing.  They frequently followed Horace through the Black Hills when he worked for the Forest Service, camping and exploring along the way.  Dody was always there to drive the boys and friends to their sports activities, even providing free haircuts to the team members when necessary to keep them eligible to play.  She delighted in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and would drop everything to play, guide, and encourage them.

Dody worked for many years at the Gambles store in Hill City, with three different owners.  Each new owner needed to be sure she was willing to continue her employment before they would close the deal.  She loved people, which showed in the way she served her customers.

Dody had an unwavering faith in God, which she shared with her sons. She was a life-long member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Hill City.  Her love for the Lord was demonstrated through her servant's heart.   Dody never missed an opportunity to provide a meal or meet a need.  Anyone stopping to visit her knew they would not go away hungry, and she had a stream of regular visitors looking for her homemade treats.  She would even get on the CB radio and invite loggers coming into Hill City to stop for milkshakes.  In the family's opinion, her loving spirit made her the original "Heart of the Hills".  Dody's sweet spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

Grateful for having shared her life are her sons Larry (Anne) and Ken (Maureen), all of Hill City.  She is also survived by five devoted grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and her lifelong friend, Doris "Dot" Tillman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Horace, brothers Harold and Wesley, sisters Emma and Vera, and her "little sister" (niece) Verna Simons.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 29, 2022 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Osheim-Schmidt Funeral Home in Rapid City.

The funeral service will be at the Hill City High School Theater Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 10:00 AM, with burial to follow at the Hill City Cemetery.

At Dody's request, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Hill City SD.

Arrangements with Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.