Obituary of Dolores Stankiewicz

Dolores Rita (Slawiak) Stankiewicz, of Vestal, December 11, 2016. Dolores was an empowered woman before it was common. She grew up in Buffalo, NY and graduated from the E.J. Meyer School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse in 1947. Early in her career she worked in the Intensive Care Unit and as an Operating Room Nurse, and invested in real estate as a single woman. After marrying Raymond in 1950, she continued on her 40-year career in health care while at the same time raising five children. She rose to the position of Head Nurse Administrator at the Broome Developmental Center. After retirement from nursing, she remained involved in community affairs and served on the Board of Directors of Ideal Senior Living Center. She volunteered extensively, including at St. Ambrose, where she was a long-time parish member, and at Castle Gardens senior center. Dolores loved to travel with Ray, visiting all 50 US states and seven continents. They particularly enjoyed visiting their children. Later in life Dolores enjoyed social activities such as knitting, card games and casino trips with an extensive network of ladyfriends. Dolores was a loyal and always hopeful fan of the New York Mets and the Buffalo Bills. Dolores is mourned by her son Michael and his wife Barbara Vega of Tucson, AZ, her son David and his wife Hope Hackett of Grayson, GA, her son Edward and his wife Dorothea of Arvada, CO, her daughter Teresa and her husband Richard Furnstahl of Columbus, OH, and her son Paul of Rye, NH. Dolores is also survived by grandchildren Jason, Sarah, Rachael, and Rebecca; great-grandchildren Alexandra, Aidan, Zachary, Zoe, and Peter; niece Barbara Malinowski and nephew William Malinowski; and many loving and devoted friends. She was predeceased by Raymond, her beloved husband and best friend of 47 years, by her granddaughter Jennifer, and by her sister Regina. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday Dec. 16 at St. Ambrose Church, 203 Washington Avenue Endicott at 10:30 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visitation Friday at St. Ambrose, prior to the Mass, from 9 to 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to Mercy House of the Southern Tier, 212 North McKinley Ave, Endicott, NY 13760. Internment at Riverhurst Cemetery, Endicott.