Sept. 18, 1923 — Aug. 26, 2015

Dolores Madaline (Lewis) Black, age almost 92, passed away peacefully on Aug. 26, 2015, in Jupiter, Florida after a very short stay in Jupiter Hospice.

Dolores leaves behind two daughters, Karen Maass of Rockford, Michigan, Jan Black-Nicholson and son-in-law H. Nick Nicholson of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, one granddaughter Tracey Maass-Dickerson (husband Brian) of Grandville, Michigan and two great-grandchildren Devin Scott and Sarina Sheldon, all of whom loved and adored our precious Momma and Grammie more than words can say.

Dolores was preceded in death by seven siblings and her husband Bob.

“Doe” was born Sept. 18, 1923, in Bath, Maine, raised in Portland, Maine, by the sisters at Saint Elizabeth’s Orphanage during the depression years and reunited with her mother and siblings in time to attend Girls High School in Boston. She was proud of her first job at Woolworths in the “electric department” where one of her duties was to check customers’ Christmas light sets to find and replace the one or more bulbs that were out.

Dolores Lewis met Robert Sheldon Black in 1942 when he was temporarily stationed in Boston, Massachusetts with the U.S. Army. She proudly served in the U.S.O., worked at Colonial Beacon Oil Company and waited for the love of her life to return from Europe. They were married in Boston in 1946 at Holy Cross Cathedral. Soon after they moved to Niles, Michigan until the retirement years, at which time they called both Niles and Jupiter home. When Bob died in 2007 Mrs. Black stayed in Florida close to her daughter Jan and son-in-law Nick, whose unending devotion and care allowed her to remain in her “cozy little cottage by the sea” until her recent illness.

Our family will always remember Mom as a good sport and up for any adventure (including kayaking at age 87), passionate about making every holiday and birthday feel like a festival, and having the sweetest sounding laugh. She always said her greatest accomplishment was raising her two daughters. When we asked her what it took to live a long, happy life she said, “You just keep going until you cannot go anymore.” Simple as that. Every day was a gift not to be wasted.

A family memorial service (in the form of an Irish celebration of life) will be planned at a later date in Michigan. Dolores loved life, laughter, family, the ocean, genealogy, home, her Irish heritage and tea! Oh yes and her sparkly knickknacks.

We love you Loresie Girl, always and eternally, your family. Anyone wishing to make a charitable donation please consider a Veterans or Wounded Warriors Organization.