Vera Twidwell
| Date of Interment or Death | 08/10/2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Garden of the Christus |
| Block and Lot | 040D |
| Grave | 4 |
Obituary
Vera Twidwell
Aug 31, 1940 — Aug 5, 2026
Vera Marie Twidwell, 85, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at St. Catherine’s Living Center in Wahpeton, ND. Her daughter was at her side, and she had been surrounded by loving family and lots of chatter in the days before. We know she took great pleasure in this. She made the choice to go on Hospice on Thursday, July 29. This allowed her some comfort in her final days.
Her funeral service will be held Monday, August 10, 2026, at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home in Wahpeton. Visitation will start at 10, followed by a service at 11. Burial follows immediately at Fairview Cemetery in Wahpeton.
Vera was born August 31, 1940, in Breckenridge, MN, to Robert and Elvira Luvern (Johnson) Doleshy. She grew up as an only child on the family farm in rural Wahpeton, ND. She graduated from Wahpeton High School – class of 1958. She then went on to attend NDSSS and received her degree in 1959. She was honored to work as a secretary at NDSSS for Jim Horton. After that, she spent time working for the VA in Fargo, eventually moving to Jamestown.
In Jamestown, she quickly met the love of her life, Dean Twidwell, and 6 months later, they eloped and were united in marriage at the EUB church in Aberdeen, SD. They enjoyed 52 years together.
The family moved every few years, living in many states. Vera always found a job that she loved and made friends with each move.
Vera and Dean moved to Wahpeton, ND in 1986 to be closer to her parents. In August 1986, they opened Wahpeton Deli and Wahpeton Video. Mom took great pride in the Deli – providing excellent food and customer service. She passed these skills on to Dean Jr., who has taken over. She was so happy to know she lived to see the business succeed for 40 years!
Vera and Dean Sr. moved to CHI-Riverview in Fargo in 2010 and spent 14 years there. In August 2024, Vera moved to Siena Court Assisted Living in Wahpeton, ND, to be closer to her children. She moved to St Catherine’s Living Center in November 2025 and remained there until her passing.
Vera enjoyed all the moves they made over the years, always finding jobs she loved and excelled at. With one move, she also decided to sell Avon. She made President’s Club her very first year – a huge achievement. She enjoyed spending time at their lake home, traveling in their motor home, and loved spending winters in Florida, visiting Disney World. They did this from the late 80’s through 2010. Vera and Dean enjoyed doing everything together, and she missed him greatly for the last 10 years. She looked forward to visits from her children and grandchildren. She loved to see pictures on Facebook of the grandkids and keep informed about what they were up to.
Vera is survived by her children, Linda (Toviao) Hopkins, Breckenridge, MN, and Dean Jr (Missi) Twidwell, Breckenridge, MN, along with her “bonus” children, Eugene (Barbara), Mokena, IL, and Michael (Robin), Champaign, IL; 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Dean Sr.; parents Robert and Luvern Doleshy; “bonus” son David; and many aunts and uncles.
Location
The Garden of the Christus is located in the Memorial Gardens, which comprises the northern half of the cemetery.