Delores (Dee) Fillafer

  Born Delores (Dee) Fillafer Dec. 17, 1937, born to eternal life Jan. 16, 2024

On Jan. 16, 2024, our DD Sling family tragically lost one of its finest family members. Delores “Dee” Fillafer was consumed by a horrific house fire on Tuesday evening in her Mequon home along with her son Dale.

Dee had been retired for many years, however she and her son have been keeping our place clean (kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, and offices) every Friday evening over the years!

I first met Delores 25 ago as she drove into our parking lot on her Moped for a job interview — she only lived four city blocks north of us on Wauwatosa Road. During the interview she discussed her prior job as a school bus driver, how inadvertently she slowly backed into a telephone pole causing little or no damage to either pole or bus (while no children were present) however due to the incident she was let go.

I quickly learned how sensitive she was since while explaining the cause of her termination she broke into tears. I knew right then and there that she would be the right fit for our company!

Having had home sewing experience, Dee was hired in 1989, worked in our sewing department and learned quickly how industrial sewing was indeed quite different than home sewing. However, she easily mastered the task without any difficulty and was assigned special shift hours from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.

She was a hard and conscientious working individual who also supplemented her income by cleaning homes and soon also cleaned the offices of DD Sling and my personal residence.

After a few years of sewing industrial lifting slings, she was promoted to our specialized fabrics sewing operation and ultimately was put in charge of the department.  Her dedication to duty, creativeness, loyalty, and timeliness was second to none. She had the highest of work ethics!

Dee’s commitment to DD Sling & Supply, Inc. was without measure — she would always be at work way prior to her assigned time, never leaving early, always finishing her tasks, and she was extremely efficient in both quality and quantity in her work.

I can’t think of Dee ever missing a day. She improved production methods, plus continually looked for ways for DD Sling to be more effective or profitable — she truly loved her job! Her love of God and her fellow man was admirable and inspired us all!

Dee retired from her full time position in 2010, however she continued working by cleaning our offices with the help of her son Dale throughout the present day.

Dee was the type of woman you only read about — she was extremely kind, loving, caring, giving, thoughtful, honest, God-fearing, compassionate, trustworthy and full of smiles!  She truly was without blemishes!

She reminds me of the widow in the Bible (Luke 21) who placed two copper coins in the offering (all she had), without wavering.  Dee would do anything for you — when my wife died at an early age, she was there to comfort me; when my mother-in law was aging, she gave her companionship, medication, cleaned her home and personally cared for her (she did this for others also); when receiving a bonus or extra money, she would make sure God received His tithing share first. She looked out for others first, all throughout her own individual trials and tribulations!

She made our work place more enjoyable, full of love, with daily happiness and made us all better people. Dee will be extremely missed by this her working family!

As a final note, Dee would indeed remind us what Jesus said in John 14 — “In my father’s house are many rooms, I go therefore to prepare a room for you”!

Dee, you’re home at last with Dale and Don. No more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow, or no more crying!!!