Dolores Marie (Ward) Hollenbach, 89, our gracious and unassuming, funny and kind, devoted mom passed away shortly after midnight on the 17th of February, 2016. Born Dolores Marie Ward on November 13, 1926 to Regina Marie Mehring and Arthur Clyde Ward in St. Louis, Missouri.
She was born at home, as was her mother, the home that her grandfather built in 1904. Calvin Coolidge was president; the number 1 song of 1926 was Gene Austin’s, Bye Bye Blackbird. Bread was 9 cents a loaf, and a new home could be purchased from the Sears Catalog for $1,500. Our grandmother worked in the garment industry in St. Louis, making men’s ties. Grandfather drove a Dr. Pepper truck, thereby acquiring the name of Doc. He later became a cement and stone mason, and then late in his life, a taxi driver. One year Santa brought mom, and her sister, our Aunt Betty, porcelain dolls. For the following five years, their only gift from Santa were homemade dresses for the dolls. When mom was a little girl, she acquired a nickname as well – she was called Coco because she got as dark as cocoa in the summers.
A lot of sweetness in these simple memories of mom’s. During WWII mom and her best friend, Jane, lunched in a diner in St. Louis. Upon departing, Jane left her wallet in the diner booth. The woman who found the wallet discovered a striking photo of mom inside. She sent the photo overseas to her brother, a GI. Brother sent the photo to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, asking if they could help him find her. The St. Louis Post ran a front page photo and article titled “Who Is She?” My mom came forward and was photographed again – this time by the St. Louis Post. GI’s serving worldwide were instructed to send a stamped return envelope if they would like an 8×10 glossy of mom. Mom received hundreds of love letters from GI’s, and more than a few marriage proposals. Not wanting a single disappointed GI, Grandmother made our mother and her friends reply to every letter, which resulted in a deluge of pen pals.
The Hollenbach clan, whom she loved so very much is the happy result of her choosing our father, Pops, as her lifelong friend and mate. Now that Mom is passed, we like to think of them together again, as Coco Pops. They both had a great sense of humor, and we can hear them chuckling. Mom is survived by 4 of her 5 children, Chris Carli (Bill, and grand-children Brandon and Robyn, great-grandchildren Alden, Stella, and triplets Landon, Hudson and Griffin), Bob Hollenbach Jr. (Diane, and children Tyler and Brent), Sallie Durette (Luc, and son Noah), and Laurie Connelly (Tim, and children Christopher, Megan and Blaine, great grandson Zander). Also survived by her grandson Christopher Davis, son of Pamela. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hollenbach Sr., and daughter Pamela Ann Davis. Your large brood holds you close, and we thank you for being a wonderful Mother Bird. Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., Anacortes, Wash., and the San Juan Islands.
To share memories of Dolores, please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com.
