Deborah L Dilger

Deborah L. Dilger, 63, of Bismarck, slipped peacefully into her Savior’s arms on April 11, 2017.A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 2:00 PM at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bismarck with Rev. Jonathan Walla officiating.  Burial will be on Thursday at 9:00 AM at the ND Veterans Cemetery.Visitation will be Tuesday from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 PM.  Born on April 8, 1954, to Donald R. and Donna M. (Bell) Femling in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, Deb was the oldest of five children. She was raised and educated in Wisconsin Rapids until moving to Center, ND for her junior and senior years of high school. Deb graduated from Center High School in 1972, valedictorian of her class, as well as class president. She married Joseph (Joe) Dilger on October 28, 1972. The children of this marriage were all of the four-legged variety, including numerous dogs and cats.Although Deb fought a lifelong battle with multiple sclerosis she never let it dim her beautiful smile or personality. Her amazingly gorgeous eyes let you see deep into her wonderful soul. She loved her four-legged children and they brought her many smiles.Deb went to work for Job Service of ND in December of 1975 as a data entry clerk for On the Job Training (OJT). Deb was a strong advocate for individuals with disabilities and worked tirelessly on their behalf. Her passion was recognized and she was honored with the Bismarck Mayor's “Outstanding Handicapped Citizen Award” in 1989. In 1992 Deb was appointed to the Mayor’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities, and served as President for 1992 and 1993. She received national recognition for her service and was presented the “Service to People with Disability Award” for the ND Chapter of I.A.P.E.S at a ceremony in Washington, DC. When Deb retired on June 30, 1997, she was presented a letter from then ND Governor, Edward Schafer, thanking her for her 22 years of outstanding dedication and service to the citizens of the state of ND.Deb’s hobbies included cooking, macramé, crocheting, spending time with family, and she loved shopping. She was a sharp dresser, even on days she never left the house. Her crocheted doilies and afghans are gifts that are cherished by loved ones. Enjoying a margarita on special occasions was a favorite as well.Deb is survived by her husband, Joe of Bismarck; mother and stepfather, Donna and Victor Ohman, Glenrock, WY; sisters, Sue (Craig) Dills, Glenrock WY, Ann (Tom) Simpson, Bozeman, MT, and Mary (Chuck) Norris, Oil City, PA; her brother, Tom (Sandi) Femling, Beulah, ND; her sisters-in-law, Junella (Jeff) Feickert, Mandan, ND, and JoAnn (Bob) Cordova, Bismarck, ND; as well as 16 nieces and nephews.Deb was preceded in death by her father, Donald Femling; her nephew, Jeremy Femling; and her mother and father-in-law, Joe and Rose Dilger.Her request to pass away in the comfort of her own home was honored, after her battle with multiple sclerosis and the resulting pneumonia overtook her. A special thank you to her special nurse, Robbin Sweeney, the Good Samaritan Society and Dakota Traveling Nurses, as well as Joe’s sisters, for making that request possible.