Dolores and I exchanged wedding vows on September 16 ^th , 1995, at Holy Spirit Church in Fountain Valley. Our never-ending honeymoon began, and for me to care and love Dolores was as natural as breathing. She was my love, my friend, my supporter, and my partner. Together with God we were a good team. For 19 years Dee was an usher here at St. Nicholas for the Saturday Vigil Mass, Christmas Midnight Mass, the Holy Week services, and the Easter Vigil. She was always ready at the main entrance doors to open them and smilingly greeted people as they came in and occasionally had lipstick on her cheek when one of the ladies would show their appreciation. When it came to events in the parish hall Dolores always either worked on them or participated in them. She always worked; her last employment was 27 years with the Fluor Corporation. Dolores liked music so there was always some music playing in our home, which sometimes got me a little dance in the kitchen.

Dolores did not shy from having some good time; it could be at family gatherings, KofC functions or even a weekend in Las Vegas. The Vegas trips were generally with friends or bowling tournaments. She knew her way around the Roulette Table but was content to spend time at the penny slots and hoard her winning tickets to cash them out all at once. Taking in a show was an important part of the weekend. I introduced Dee to horse racing only to find she could pick the winner from one of my rejects, which brought out her beautiful smile and much joy.

Somewhere around 2012 Dementia became a part of our lives. As some of Dolores’s abilities began to fade or disappear, her smile or eye expressions never did. With the graces from God, we lived with the effects, and made the best of it. On August 16 ^th , 2024 God called Dolores home to a better place. With that he took away a little of my breath, but he left us with unforgettable memories, little things, pictures, her laugh, her eyes, her smile, and a 2-step in the kitchen.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to

A Little Company of Mary, 2822 W 95 ^th Street, Evergreen Park IL 60805

The American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

or

The Dementia Society of America, www.dementiasociety.org