Delilah "Dolly" Mae Sipher Taleck

Delilah “Dolly” Mae Sipher Taleck, age 103, passed away peacefully at Elizabeth Gardens on Tuesday, August 11, 2023, where she resided since 2017. Dolly was born to the late Dave and Iva (Nee: Becker) Phillips on May 3, 1920, in Hibbing, MN. She was the second of nine children. Her father worked for the Great Northern Railroad, which made it necessary for them to relocate many times while in MN.

At the age of 12 her family moved to Milwaukee, WI, where Dolly attended Greenleaf Middle School and Bay View High School until her junior year, when her family moved to Crivitz, WI. She graduated from Crivitz High School in 1937.

In 1937 her family moved to Sturtevant, WI and Dolly enrolled in Racine Continuation Business School. In 1938 she met Melvin Sipher Sr. and on September 28, 1940, they were married. Together they raised three children, Sheila, Melvin Jr. “Sonny” and Nancy Jo.

Boating on Lake Michigan was their favorite family activity. They spent many hours on the 5th Street beach. In 1954 Dolly and Mel became two of the charter members that formed the “Fifth Street Yacht Club” of Racine.

During her lifetime she was employed by the City of Racine as a crossing guard, worked at Jacobson Mfg. Company, and retired as a claim specialist with the State of Wisconsin in 1966. During her retirement she worked at Shaw’s Jewelers, traveled, and spent winters in AZ. She relocated to Sun City in 2010 where she resided until returning to Racine at the Elizabeth Gardens in 2017.

Dolly loved sewing, reading, canning, playing cards, bingo, and golfing. She belonged to Washington Park Golf League. Her family was very musical and Dolly sang and played the guitar whenever she could. She was known to never turn down a cup of coffee with creamer and cookies.

She will be dearly missed by her daughters, Sheila Lopour of Mount Pleasant, Nancy Dowler of Poplar Bluff, MO; grandchildren, Matt Lopour (Jodi Davis), Kelly Heiselman (George Zaleski), Lorrie (Jay) Robinson, Robb (Kim) Sipher, Michael Sipher (Barb Evans), Lisa Sipher (Steve) Vieau, Ray (Lori) West, Dawn West (Bill) O’Connell; great-grandchildren, Abigail, Travis, Hailey, Addison, Tyler, Brittany, Brooke, Delilah, Dillon, Corena, Ben, Brian, Samantha, Whitney, Aaron, Brent, and Bailey; seven great-great grandchildren; sister, Cheri Jeanne Mortensen; sister-in-law, Arline Phillips; brother-in-law, Rick Lusczak; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and special friends, Sandy Ericksen and Linda Taleck. In addition to her parents and first husband, Melvin Sipher Sr., she was preceded in death by her son, Melvin Sipher Jr.; sons-in-law, Glenn Lopour, Chuck Dowler; sisters and brothers, Kaaren, Wendy, Shorty, Geraldine, Dave, Herman, and Paul; her nephew, Tommy Wilton; and special friend, Al Tremmel.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 23, 2023, 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Relatives and friends may meet with the family Wednesday at the funeral home from 11:00 a.m. until time of service at 12:00 p.m. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Garden Mausoleum, Hwy 32.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff and caregivers at Elizabeth Gardens and St. Croix Hospice for their loving and compassionate care.