Dolores Toomey

Dolores “Lorry” Toomey, age 83, of Wayne, passed away on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Born and raised in Passaic, Dolores was a graduate of Pope Pius High School in Passaic, Class of 1954. With her formal education completed, she joined the working world at the offices of Fritchie Brothers in Clifton. Soon after, she met the man she would someday marry. His name was Thomas J. Toomey and they met by virtue of a sport that they both loved – bowling. As the story goes, Tom was a regular in a weekly bowling league. Along came Dolores who was called upon to substitute on another team. She didn’t go unnoticed by Tom and soon he was asking around as to who that pretty girl was. Long story short, Tom eventually made himself known to Dolores and a season of courtship culminated in the exchange of marriage vows before God, family and friends at St. Mary’s Church in Passaic on Saturday, November 21, 1959. For their honeymoon, they traveled by Dolores’ least favorite mode of transport – flying to Florida.

After the wedding, Dolores continued to work until the blessing of the first of three children graced her and Tom’s life. They named that first child Thomas. He would be followed by a little sister named Kathleen and then another little sister named Lori. Her children became the primary calling of Dolores’ life as she embraced motherhood and homemaking. Dolores ultimately returned to working outside her home to help cover Kathy’s tuition at Felician School for exceptional Children. She never considered it a burden as Kathleen and all of her children were truly one of the greatest loves of Dolores’ life and she’d do anything to give them every opportunity possible. In later years, Dolores also worked part-time in a number of bookkeeping positions as well as at Rickel’s Home Center and Meyer Brothers.

As a young girl, Dolores loved to dance, especially polkas and she always looked forward to winter so she could put on her skates and get on the ice which to Dolores was just another form of dance.

Bowling continued to be a big part of Dolores and Tom’s leisure time. They bowled in their own respective leagues as well as leagues together, and many games were enjoyed with Dolores’ sister Barbara and her husband John. For Dolores, she always enjoyed the competitive part of the game, but for her bowling was also a means to get together with friends to socialize and have a good time.

When it came right down to it, Dolores was really a homebody and all-around family person at heart. She took great pride in her home and it was always a warm and welcoming place. Being with her family was very important to Dolores. She spent a lot of good times getting together with her six sisters, her brother and their families. Being the youngest child in a large family meant that some of her sibling’s children were about the same age as her and they became very close.

Dolores loved playing card games and board games of all varieties so it was very common for her to be playing games like Pinochle with Tom, or Candyland, Yahtzee, Sorry, or Parcheesi with the kids when they were young. Of course, she played Bingo with her sisters and friends wherever a game could be found in town. Most recently, she enjoyed getting together with the ladies from church for a good game of Canasta.

When her daughter Lori was playing basketball for Manhattan College, Dolores never missed a game. When the blessing of grandchildren graced her life, she was always gladly available to greet them as they came home from school and stay with them until Lori or her husband Devin got home from work. Because of her aversion to flying, Dolores would never be described as a world traveler. In fact, over the years, she only took a few flights to see her son Tom and his family who live in Colorado. Dolores’ idea of traveling was taking a trip to the Jersey shore. This she did with greater frequency and trips down the Garden State Parkway were always a pleasure!

A faithful and founding parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne, she and her family began attending there starting in 1965 before the church was even built, gathering on Sundays at Schuyler Colfax School while construction was going on. Dolores remained a faithful OLC parishioner throughout the rest of her life

Dolores leaves an important mark on those who had the pleasure of knowing her. When asked by her family what they will miss most about her, they reflected and replied with that which really is the most important thing – her mere presence. Rest in peace Dolores.

Dolores was the beloved wife of Thomas J. Toomey, blessed in marriage for 43 years until his passing in 2003. She was the loving mother of Thomas J. Toomey and wife Kay of Denver, CO, the late Kathleen A. Toomey who passed away in 2013, and Lori Derstine and husband Devin of Wayne; cherished grandmother of Alanna, Avery, Zachary and Colin; dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews; and dear sister-in-law of John Ulicni of Woodland Park. Dolores was predeceased by her brothers and sisters: Marion Koterba, Ann Costa, Josephine Novick, Joseph Sefcik, Florence Orlovsky, Evelyn Plafta, and Barbara Ulicni.