Dolores M. Gasiorowski

A Memorial Mass will be held for Dolores on Saturday, August 19th, 2023 at 10:00 AM in the Clement Manor Chapel (3939 South 92nd Street, Greenfield, WI 53228) followed by a 12:00 PM graveside service at the St. Adalbert Cemetery mausoleum (3801 South 6th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53221).

Dolores will be missed by all those blessed to know her kind nature, quick wit, ready smile and warm heart. Dolores was the loving wife of John A (†); mother to Andrew (Jane), Mary (Charlie), Edward (Vickie), Margaret (†), and John G (Antonieta); grandmother to: Riley, Piper, Spencer, Lauren (Marc) Firestein, Erin, Carter, Anna, Nicole, and Joseph; and great-grandmother to James.

Dolores was the middle of five children born to Edward and Jennie Wilfer in Manitowoc, WI on February 9th, 1927. Dolores developed a strong character and warm heart in the years following the Great Depression as she helped care for her own Busia and Aunt along with her chores on the family’s small farm where she tended geese/chickens, milked the cow, and steered the horse as her father plowed the fields.

Like her older siblings called to war, Dolores helped as best she could and studied nursing at Silver Lake College (Manitowoc) and Marquette University (Milwaukee). Following graduation, Dolores worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) at the Wood Veterans hospital in Milwaukee, WI. Although she roomed with other nurses in a small flat located on the near west side close to the Veterans Hospital, Dolores would only admit to visiting Ice House Mary’s once. In the booming big city of Milwaukee during the years following WWII, Dolores’ ever-expanding circle of friends from the Veterans Hospital provided great companionship and a centered place rooted in her Catholic faith. In fact, one of her good co-workers, Margaret Gasiorowski, introduced Dolores to her future husband.

Though Dolores left the nursing profession to raise a family, she always cared for others as evidenced by her many hours, late nights, and weekends of volunteer work for Blessed Sacrament School as: school nurse, library aide, scout leader, driver to Home Econ and Trade schools, school chaperone, and lunch baker during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Dolores also supported her husband and shared their philanthropy for AIPE, WSPE, MMSD, the theater, the opera, St Mary’s HS, Pio Nono HS, Thomas More HS, Marquette University, and many other organizations in Milwaukee.

After the sudden loss of her husband to cancer, Dolores was heart-broken and devastated. However, she drew upon the self-reliant strength of her youth, support of her children, and the kindnesses of her many generous friends. Dolores was so strong-willed that she not only repaired her house and maintained her meticulous gardens by herself, she supported her children’s education / work and continued to care for others in the neighborhood.

In her late 80’s, Dolores recognized that climbing a ladder to insulate the attic, clean the gutters, or repair the roof was getting too much, so she relocated to Clement Manor retirement home in Greenfield. There, she was a happy person who enjoyed a bingo game, trivia match, crafting, news talk, or just a good joke with her other table mates at mealtime.

Dolores was always humble and allowed others to shine in her presence. She sometimes claimed that she didn’t understand all that her kids and grandkids achieved, but they each know that to be Busia’s little white lie. Busia’s kids know that all of what they’ve achieved, places they explored, and families they’ve raised are founded in the values instilled in us by Busia and our dad. Dolores may have allowed each of us to make our own mistakes, to learn, and to grow on our own; however, she knew where we stood each and every step of the way. The old sayings are ever so true: I wonder how mom would have handled it; she was so wise and had a world of experience. Or, that I’d give anything if mom were here now so that I could talk this over with her again. I really learned a lot from Busia.

Busia, even though you have now passed to heaven, and we cannot visit with you, drive to the lake, or talk with you on the phone, you are always with us in our hearts – forever and always. Requiescat in Pace, Dolores M. Gasiorowski.