Dolores Pifer (nee Dryer) passed away on January 27th at the age of 94. A lifelong Chicagoan, Dolores loved her city with all of its political challenges and its working class roots. Her talents included an eye for the perfect aesthetic, finely polished drawing skills, a beautiful alto singing voice, an amazing memory for lyrics and a fierce appreciation for language and the nuance of words. Her interests ranged widely. At one point she wanted to be a pilot, she had extraordinary math skills, and she tried her hand at writing what today would be called flash fiction. Her love of chocolate was epic. When asked what her happiest moments were, she would say it was being a mother to her three daughters.
Dolores felt a deep devotion to her family—no doubt a product of being raised in the depression when her extended family were a constant presence in her life. That devotion extended to her grandchildren with whom she had unique and important relationships and to her great grandchildren. She was known to collect jokes to tell her great grandchildren—puns were her specialty. Her affection for Oskar, the Jack Russell terrier who was a constant presence in her life was well known. He feels her absence and misses her terribly.
Dolores was a member of St. Paul’s Church where she sang in the choir with her youngest daughter, Nancy, for over 30 years. She loved singing; it was a cornerstone of her faith. But she also forged many friendships at St. Paul’s over the years. Her church family meant a great deal to her.
One of Dolores’ passions was her appreciation for and support of her daughter Nancy’s musical career. She attended most of Nancy’s performances (until it became too difficult) and loved it when they just had a private moment to sing together. Their harmonizing was legendary!
Dolores liked to say she met her husband Myrl over the water cooler at American Colortype where they both worked just after the war. They married in 1948 and started a family. Her memories of those “just beginning a life together” times always made her wistful. Myrl and Dolores went on to establish Pifer Printing Company in 1957. In the beginning, Myrl ran the presses and was responsible for sales and Dolores kept the books while being a full time mother. Multi-tasking was one of her specialties.
Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Dorothea Dryer (nee Busse), her sister and brother-in-law, Ada and Bud (Lawrence) Bartley and her husband, Myrl. She leaves behind her three daughters Pamela Pifer, Janet Musich and Nancy Pifer, and two sons-in law whom she considered just sons, Mark Musich and Mark Swanson. She was a loving grandmother to Andy Zibits and his wife Naomi Leigh, and to Elektra Musich and her husband John Landin. She will be missed by her two great grandchildren, Mercer and Clodagh Zibits.
A memorial service is being held for Dolores at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ on Sunday, Feb. 19th at 11:30 a.m. A small reception will follow in the church social hall. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Paul’s Church would be appreciated.
St. Paul’s UCC
2335 N. Orchard St.
Chicago, IL 60614
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