Dolores Hedler

Dolores Marie (nee Firnstahl) Hedler, age 95, of Colby, passed away surrounded by her loving family at Colby Senior Care on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, under the tender care of St. Croix Hospice.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at noon on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Saint Mary Help of Christian Parish in Colby. Father Keith Kitzhaber will preside. Interment will follow at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. Family and friends are welcome to greet the family from 10 a.m. until the time of the service Thursday at the church. The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Colby is entrusted with arrangements.

Dolores was born at home in the Town of Hull, Colby, on March 20, 1931, to Herbert and Lucille (Hoppa) Firnstahl. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and graduated from Colby High School. She was united in marriage to Donald “Jake” Hedler, son of Fred and Helen (Jarocki) Hedler, of Thorp at St. Mary's Catholic Church on May 20,1950. They celebrated 68 years of marriage together when Jake passed away in 2018. She was employed at Hedler’s Supermarket prior to marriage and after, having worked for more than 50 years.

She was active in the home and school association for many years. She was a lifelong member of St. Marys’s Church and PCCW Society, a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary, a member of the Colby Rural Arts Museum and volunteered at the Colby Food Pantry.

Dolores enjoyed going on fall trips with her daughters, playing piano, camping, gardening, line dancing, square dancing, snowmobiling and watching pro basketball. Her love was being with family when they got together.

Dolores is survived by four daughters: Judy (Dick) Martineau of Chippewa Falls, Kim (Robert) Will of Colby, Lauri (Richard) Weber of Colby and Donna Scholl of Medford; 14 grandchildren: Erin (Tim) Brunke of Chippewa Falls, Adam (Ann) Zenner of Chippewa Falls, Josh (Melissa) Zenner of Colby, Angela Engel of Wausau, Kristin (Rob) McMahon of Stoddard, Megan Engel of Bryce Prairie, Shane (Wendy) Will of Wausau, Jessica Will of Greenville, Trisha (Derik) Nemke of Hatley, Bonnie (Phil) Fagan Resendez, Travis (Linda) Gay, Nick (Desiree) Gay, Courtney Scholl of Medford and Kirsten (Vincent) Genatempo of W. Va.; 31 greatgrandchildren: Mitchell, Landon, Alexis, Luke, Ryan, Adalynn, Grady, Livia, Reagan, Madisyn, Kenadie, Kaitlyn, Kristin, Addison, Laiken, Jayla, Saige, Robby, Layla, Anna, Brielle, Bennett, Lola, Tyler, Hailey, Ashley, Mason and Sienna. She is further survived by her sister, Margaret Hasenohrl of Colby; a brother, Dan (Karen) Firnstahl of Medford; a sister- in-law, Dorothy Hedler of Minn., and a brother-in-law, A1 Spaete of Granton.

Dolores was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jake; her daughter, Jan Engel; her grandson, Wesley Gay; two sons-in-law: Curt Scholl and Dennis Engel; two brothers: Manny Firnstahl and James Firnstahl; two sisters-inlaw: Mary Firnstahl and Margie Firnstahl; two brothers-in-law: Berdell Bruesewitz and Ken Hasenohrl.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Mary’s School in Colby or the CUP Food Pantry in Colby.

The Hedler family would like to thank the staff at Colby Senior Care and St. Croix Hospice for the compassionate care Dolores received.

Family and friends may express condolences online at www.maurinaschilling.com.