Dolores A. Gilles' Obituary
Dolores A. Gilles was born on August 15, 1931, in Barton, Ohio to John and Suzanne (nee Feachen) Dabelko. She lived her adult married life in the house her husband built and was at home surrounded by family until her eternal rest with the help of Mercy Life Hospice on Thursday, February 24, 2022, at the age of 90.
She was a 1949 graduate of St. Mary’s High School where she met her forever somebody, William T. Gilles, the love of her life. She also met a great group of girlfriends who formed the WINKERS Club their sophomore year of high school. They remained friends their entire life. Dolores was employed by Lake Terminal Railroad, Lorain, as an executive secretary of Labor Relations as well as other various departments. She taught elementary school at St. Joseph School, Amherst, Nativity School, Lorain and St. Peter School, Lorain. Dolores retired from teaching in 1970. She always remembered her students and their families.
Dolores was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Amherst where she taught catechism classes. Together she and her husband, William, were also very active in the CYO program, and were always willing to help with whatever the Parish or School needed. She was a member of the MAR-WIN club, ETA ZETA chapter of Alpha Iota Sorority, and volunteered as voting booth poll worker.
She was very proud and grateful for her husband’s job at Ford Motor Company and because of that she was a very loyal Ford/Lincoln customer.
Family Unity was a motto that she had lived by and passed that onto her children and grandchildren as they were her life. Dolores and William loved boating and polka dancing. They would go to Florida for two months each year, sailed on 25 cruises, and were members of the Amherst Golden Agers. They traveled many miles over the years to attend their grandchildren’s sporting events, never missing a game. The couple attended over 1,000 football games, 900 hockey games, numerous basketball, soccer, baseball, rugby games, and all their school functions. She had a gentle soul and a kindness that radiated in all she did. She loved really getting to know others and making them feel special. Her family will always remember her for her “Goodbye Gilles Tour”, she didn’t like goodbyes and always made sure that she saw everyone before she left.
Dolores is survived by her sons, John (Deb) Gilles, Len (Kathleen) Gilles, and Bill (Debbie) Gilles; daughter, Cynthia (Gene) McGuire; grandchildren, Dan (Allie) Gilles, David (Rachel) Gilles, Vicki Gilles, Katy (Rick) Moore, Joshua (Elizabeth) Gilles, John (Laura) Gilles, Bryan (Amanda) Gilles, Ben (Brittany) Gilles, Stephen Williams, Michael (Matt Davis) McGuire, Ben Nelson, Tim Nelson, Jill (Mike) DiFilippo; and 20 great-grandchildren; and cousins Rick(Susie) Lueders and Katie Lueders.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, William T. Gilles, in 2015; parents, John and Suzanne Dabelko; and her daughter-in-law, Vicki Gilles.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest contributions be made in memory of Dolores to the Community Foundation of Lorain County to the William T. and Dolores Gilles Fund, this fund supports the CYO Program at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Amherst.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 3, 2022, from 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, March 4th at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 200 St. Joseph Drive, Amherst. (EVERYONE PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH). Rev. Father Timothy O’Connor, Pastor, will officiate. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Amherst.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com
What’s your fondest memory of Dolores?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dolores?
Share a story where Dolores' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dolores you’ll never forget.
How did Dolores make you smile?