DELAVAN - Dolores A. (O'Neill) Stehle passed away peacefully on the morning of May 11, 2024, in the company of both of her children. A month short of her 94th birthday and sharp until the very end, Dolores leaves her many loving family members missing her, but knowing that her spirit is free, laughing and dancing among the stars with those she loves.
Dolores was born on June 15, 1930, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Earl and Eleanor O'Neill. She spent her youth in Oshkosh with her beloved younger brother Richard (Dick) O'Neill, and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins. She and her mother had a close bond, and they especially enjoyed going to monster movies at the theater and baking together. Dolores' fun-loving and empathetic nature earned her many childhood friends and no shortage of adventures.
When Dolores entered the working world, she gravitated toward numbers and bookkeeping, and eventually met the man who would become her husband, Thomas (Tom) Stehle, when they worked together at a loan company. Tom and Dolores ultimately settled in Delavan, Wisconsin, where they raised two children, Christine and Michael.
Dolores was as great a mother as she was a friend. Quick-witted and loving, she could find the humor in any situation and had the best laugh in the family. She was caring and supportive of her children's interests, and was a favorite among her nephews and niece as well, because she always made time for her family.
Dolores loved to travel and took numerous trips in her lifetime, including to Alaska, Hawaii, and even to Europe to attend her son's wedding. However, her most notable travel adventure was the summer she ran a Dairy Queen in the Virgin Islands with her children and nephew in tow. Dolores loved to tell stories about her many adventures, and did so with such great zest that her stories are told and retold decades later.
Dolores became a young widow when Tom passed away in 1973, but she persevered on her own for over 50 years, never losing her jovial spirit. She went back into the workforce in a number of different positions, and she even tried her hand as a merchant, opening a store called Dee's Serendipity in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for a couple of years before the big box stores came to town. She remained active and vibrant - taking classes and pursuing hobbies, and was a regular volunteer at the Whitewater College theater and gate worker at the Walworth County Fair.
When Dolores' grandchildren, Amy, Rebecca, Michael and David were born, she relished her new role, and came to be known to them as Grandma Brown for her puffy brown hair. She supported her grandchildren in every endeavor and was always available for a card game, an outing, or a late night phone call. She never missed a sporting event, holiday or celebration, always signing her legendary cards I Love You, Grandma Brown. She cheered at graduations, danced at weddings, and traveled to venues to support her musician grandsons well into her eighth decade.
When Dolores' great grandchildren came around she was a beloved Grandma Brown to a new generation. She delighted in seeing the older ones reach adulthood and soaked in the energy and antics of the younger ones, all the while happy to be a part of it all.
Dolores was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Eleanor, her husband Tom, her brother Dick, and countless cherished friends. She is survived by her children Christine (Mike) Randall and Michael (Lisa) Stehle, and grandchildren Amy (Brian Bramblett), Rebecca (Scott Smith), Michael and David Randall. She is further survived by great grandchildren Sabryn and Isabella DeNotto, Jaden and Kelton Randall, Crosby and Arlis Bramblett, and Max and Leon Randall, as well as sister-in-law Lois O'Neill, nephews Tom Zanowski, Gary (Gale), Pat (Jill), and Tim (Bridget) O'Neill, and niece Michelle O'Neill.
A Celebration of Dolores' life will be held on Monday, May 20, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at Monroe Funeral Home, 604 E. Walworth Avenue in Delavan. Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service on Monday at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Spring Grove Cemetery in Delavan. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Dolores' memory to Lakeland Animal Shelter of Delavan or Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Oshkosh.
One of the most endearing anonymous quotes about death reads: "I hope death is like being carried to your bedroom as a child when you fell asleep at a family party. I hope you can hear the laughter from the next room." We hope you can hear us, Dolores, laughing and telling stories from the next room. So many of them are yours. We love you, Grandma Brown.
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