Juanita Darlene Chelmo

Juanita “Nita” Darlene (Shore) Chelmo, age 93, of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at Ecumen-Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes. 

Juanita was born on May 7, 1930, to Claude and Christine (Neseth) Shore, in the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She attended Patrick Henry high school in Minneapolis and graduated with the Class of 1948. As a teenager she learned to play the piano and would go on to a music conservatory.  Juanita was also a talented artist who loved drawing and fashion design.   After Graduation, she worked as a directory assistant with the Northwestern Bell Phone Company in Minneapolis.  When her children were older, she went on to work for the Golden Valley Health Center, Prudential Life Insurance Co., and Kmart, but her most meaningful work was as a mother and homemaker.  On April 30, 1949, she was united in marriage to James “Nate” Chelmo and the couple had eight children.  They made Detroit Lakes their home in 1981. 

Nate and Juanita loved to travel.  They wintered in Yuma, AZ, for 18 years. Nita also enjoyed trips to Hawaii, the Bahamas, and Florida.  Juanita was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Detroit Lakes for over 30 years and was active in several groups including the Church Circle, Christian Women, Homemakers, and Bible Study Groups.  Juanita was a resident of Ecumen-Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes for the last six years.  She will be remembered for her sassy, joking nature. Juanita loved playing cribbage, dominoes and cards with her family.

She is survived by her three sons: James Chelmo of Phoenix, AZ; and William (Ellen) Chelmo of Detroit Lakes, MN; David (Gail) Chelmo of Perham, MN; daughters: Marie Luby of Minneapolis, MN; Sharon (Steven) Dahring of Vergas, MN; and Patti Thorson of Pelican Rapids, MN; a daughter-in-law, Pat Chelmo of Maple Grove, MN; her grandchildren: Thomas, Curt, Jesse, Jeremy, Patrick, Tara, Stephanie, Shane, and Jordan; ; and many great-grandchildren, two brothers-in-law; Jerome (Pat) Chelmo and Paul (Lorena) Chelmo. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, James; parents, Claude and Christine; a brother, Sidney (Mary) Bacon; an infant sister, Alice Bacon; a son; Thomas Chelmo; a daughter, Karen Kath; an infant grandson, Marcus Chelmo; and two infant great-grandsons, Chase and Cruz.

The family would like to thank the staff at Ecumen-Emmanuel Nursing Home for the passionate care Juanita received.