Dolores Josephine Gawel

Dolores (Dee) Josephine Gawel (nee Lawdensky) was born on October 15, 1929. Dee was married to Alfred (Al) Gawel, who died on October 28, 2022. With Al’s death went a huge part of Dee’s heart, and she looked forward to and prayed for the day they would be reunited. That reunion came on October 31, 2024, 2 years and 3 days after his passing.

Dee was the center of Al’s world, and he was hers. The two were married on June 2, 1951 and spent 71 years of devotion to each other. They had 4 children. Their oldest daughter, Karen, preceded them in death in 1999. Surviving family members are daughter Kristine Snoke (Gene) of Memphis, TN; son Ralph Gawel, of Plainfield, IL; daughter Gail Schrenk (Tom) of Avondale, PA; three grandchildren; one great grandson and many nieces and nephews. Dee was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Maryanna (nee Pytel) Lawdensky and 7 siblings.

Dee grew up in the Chicago area. Her mother died when Dee was a teen so she stayed close to home to help raise her youngest sister, Gerry. A few years after Dee and Al married, they moved to the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, where they lived for over 30 years. They enjoyed many evenings of canasta, bowling and dinner dances with their friends. Dee was in a women’s bowling league whose tournaments allowed her and Al to travel to many parts of the U.S.

After visiting their daughter, Gail, and falling in love with the desert life, they decided to move to Tucson, AZ from Des Plaines. They enjoyed exploring the area and driving to nearby national parks. They were active in their church and the local hospital auxiliary, which thrived under their guidance and friendly way with customers. Dee had a talent for sewing, knitting and crocheting and made countless items to help benefit the auxiliary and those it served.

Their final move 21 years ago was to Hernando, MS where their daughter, Kris & son-in-law, Gene enjoyed helping with their care. Dee was an active member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. There she participated in the church’s many craft bazaars, fish fries and holiday casserole sales to benefit the church and its community. Dee’s cranberry crunch casserole was so popular it sold out every year. It was at this church that Dee and Al renewed their vows of 60 years in 2011.

Dee was a devoted wife and loving mother. She cherished time with her children and looked forward to her regular phone conversations with her sisters who remained in the Chicago area and nieces and nephews who lived around the country.

Dee was a friend and a kind voice to anyone who met her. She loved to laugh and always had a story to share. She looked forward to her son, Ralph, keeping her posted on all the latest news with his frequent calls. Her kind friends and neighbors of Grove Park in Hernando and members of her church family paid regular visits to her. They always commented on the joy she brought to them and said the visits were the highlight of their day.

Our mom, our aunt, our neighbor, our friend will be missed, but we can take comfort in knowing that she and the love of her life are joyously wrapped in each others arms again.

A mass will be celebrated in Dee’s memory at a date to be announced at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Hernando, MS. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church in her honor by visiting https://holyspirit-catholic.com