Yolanda "Dondi" Victoria Kolarik

Dondi was a graduate of Des Moines Technical High School and Des Moines Area Community College. She held two associate’s degrees -- one in art and the other in telephony.

Among the places she worked in Des Moines were Iowa Limestone; the Register and Tribune Syndicate; and American Federal Savings and Loan, where she was the director of telecommunications.

In San Antonio, she worked for the Marriott Rivercenter hotel and Matera Paper Co.

Colorful does not begin to describe Dondi. A fashionista before the word existed, she dressed to the nines while proceeding to lecture the world on what she saw as its ills. She could win arguments by giving a critical look while flicking the ash off a Kool Super Long cigarette or by unleashing streams of profanity that would put muleskinners and longshoremen to shame.

One thing sure to invoke the latter response was if someone used her given name, which she hated only slightly less than she did any soda pop except Pepsi-Cola or Sunkist Orange. Desk nameplates and ID badges she had from various employers all identified her as Dondi.

Although married to a journalist, Dondi was a loyalist to the core and quit reading newspapers -- except for items her husband wrote -- the day the San Antonio Light closed.

A young woman whose contact with Dondi was limited may have summed her up best when she recently wrote, "I can say when I met Dondi I thought she was sassy and cool. She said what she thought and looked good doing it."

Dondi was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Maria Elena Herrera. She is survived by her loving husband of 27 years, Robert Kolarik, and her stepmother, Gale Herrera of Altoona, Iowa. Also, siblings Jackie Lynn Brown of Des Moines; Skip Herrera of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; Tom Herrera of Byhalia, Mississippi; Martha Rowley of Pleasant Hill; Joe Herrera of Windsor, California; Michael Herrera of Cascade, Colorado; Miki Reinier of Des Moines; and Brad Herrera of Des Moines.

She also leaves behind her “babies,” cats Sweetie, Precious, Isis, Thomas, Callie, Gregory, Miss Silver, Ossie, Samantha, Nova, Mr. Gray, Poindexter, Timothy, Jack, Sebastian and Josie. She was preceded in death by Familiar and a host of other felines.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Alley Cat Allies.

Arrangements under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home, San Antonio, TX.