Doris Mae Knels was born on November 21, 1939 to John and Irene (Lorenz) Knels in Sidney, MT. When Doris was 3 she moved to the Kinsey Project in Miles City with her family, later moving back to Sidney. When she was 11 they moved to Fairview, MT, Doris was educated at the Newlon School in Sidney, Central School in East Fairview and Fairview High School. Doris married Harold Strasheim on March 16, 1955 in Sidney, MT. Doris and Harold lived on a farm East of Sidney where Doris helped work the farm doing field work and driving beet truck during harvest. On October 15, 1980 Harold died and Doris remained on the Farm for an additional year before moving into Sidney. During their marriage, Doris and Harold had five children: Janice, Joyce, Donna, James “Jim” and Carol.
The people who knew Doris knew she had a deep faith, accepting the Lord as a young teenager. She was Confirmed at the Ebenezer Congregational Church where she was a supportive life-long member. Over the years Doris was a Sunday School Superintendent and Sunday School teacher and Bible School teacher. Doris also served on the church board and served as an officer in the Ladies Fellowship. Doris was baptized as an infant and again in the Missouri river in 1977.
Doris’ main career was as a home maker and farmer, but she also worked at Ben Franklin, Stockhill Jewelers and as a secretary for Chuck’s plumbing.
On September 30, 1983 Doris was united in marriage to Charles “Chuck” Dennis and they remained in Sidney before moving to Billings in 2014. They attended Harvest Church in Lockwood, with her brother, Larry Knels. They enjoyed coffee club at McDonalds and the monthly gather of the Sidney Circle. Doris and Chuck were also the owners of the “Dennis Motel” hosting family and friends visiting Billings.
Doris was a beautiful, classy, stylish and humble woman. She spent her life caring selflessly for her family. She imparted her faith by example to all who knew her. Her sassy sense of humor accompanied the many stories we have of her. She would surprise her family with some whopper comments from time to time! Mom loved store sales and shopping with ALL her girls was a favorite pastime! Doris was an incredible cook, in fact on Doris and Chuck’s first date she made him goulash, and he was in love with her forever more.
She made an absolutely lovely home, decorating for every season/holiday, mostly for the joy of her grandchildren. Making memories with her family was so important to Mom. In times of adversity, she wanted us to remember all of the fun and loving moments. Faced with the stresses of her health issues, Doris still shined brightly and made everyone around her feel better. She made all of us feel safe. The world will never know a kinder, gentler, more loving woman.
Doris’s children, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren were special to her and she spent many hours with them, even helping to raise a few of them. She loved to babysit the grandchildren and would do special things with them, like tea parties as well as baking and decorating cakes and cookies. She loved to make little pizzas with the grandsons.
Doris passed away on Sunday morning, October 14, 2018, at St. Vincent’s Health Care, Billings, MT.
Doris is survived by: her husband, Chuck of Billings, MT; daughters, Joyce (Pete) Sifers of Sidney, MT, Donna Strasheim of Dickinson, ND, Carol Strasheim of Billings, MT and Kim Dennis of Norman, OK; and son, Cid (Amber) Dennis of Arvade, CO; seventeen grandchildren, yes you read that right seventeen; Stephanie, Jennifer, Sarah, Michael, Bryan, Chris, Kayla, Cassandra, Matthew, Melissa, Becky, Alex, Kenneth and Sierra, Josey, Marissa and Taylor; great grandchildren Kyle, Kory, Trei, Ryan, Addison, Bella, Miles, Aiden, Kylie, Grace, Lily, Harper, and Brynlee; son-in-law’s, Billy Ross and Bill Schilling.
Doris was preceded in death by; her parents, John and Irene Knels; husband, Harold Strasheim; son, Jim Strasheim; daughters Lynn Ross and Janice Schilling; mother-in-law, Erma Jean Dennis.