Zora Dettwiler

Following her wished her body has been cremated, no services are planned, burial of her cremated remains will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery at a later date. Zora Dettwiler was born in 1904 to Floyd and Flossie (Crowley) Hall in St. James. Her mother was lost in a tragic fire when she was only 10 months old. Several years later, her father married a first cousin to Flossie who was Nellie Crowley and they had Harriet Hall - Zora's half-sister. The family moved to Havre, MT where Mr. Hall was in business for many years. Zora attended high school in Walla Walla, WA , at St. St. Pauls School for girls where she graduated in 1923. She then attended the Behnke-Walker Business College in Portland, OR. In 1925 she returned to St. James and worked as a secretary for attorney Albert Running and also attorney Emmet Tighe. She returned to Portland where she worked for the S.P.S Railroad in the general managers office. In 1927 she moved to Detroit, MI where she married Lester Dettwiler. In 1929 their only child Zoe was born. In 1936 they moved to St. James where Lester worked with his father in the Dettwiler Garage. In 1940 Zora went to work as deputy city clerk and held that job for 25 years. Lester died in 1972 following a sudden illness. Zora enjoyed being with her family and friends and travelling down south in the winter for many years in the 1980's and 1990's. She loved reading and listening to music of all kinds and baking special treats for family and friends on special occasions. She became a resident of Pleasent View in October 2000 and enjoyed the many activities there. She enjoyed visiting with many of the residents of which she had know for years. Zora Dettwiler passed away on Monday, July 31, 2006 at St. James Health Care Center, she was 102 years old. She is survived by her daughter Zoe (Ken) Isaacson, granddaughter, Irene (Bryan) Apelget of Parker's Prairie, MN, grandsons, Gary (Jayne) Newberg of Brownton, MN, Ed (Connie) Newberg of Hector, Curtis (Blanca) Newberg of Cosmos, 9 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren.