Dolores Mary Parr

Obituary Dolores Mary Parr Dolores Mary Parr was born on July 4, 1926 in Tacoma, Washington and peacefully passed away July 13, 2010 to join her beloved husband just after her 84th birthday celebration with family and friends. She was born to Joseph and Celina Deveau into a ready-made family of two brothers, Joe and Robert, and three sisters, Rose, Lillian and Dorothy all of whom were very close spending much family time together most of their lives. Dolores attended school at Holy Rosary Catholic Church becoming a devout Catholic her entire life living her faith with her heart. After school, Dolores worked for Sun Drug in Tacoma in ladies apparel while living with her family until marriage and continued to work there while her husband, Jerome, served in the Korean War. One of her greatest achievements at that time was earning their down payment for their first home. Dolores met Jerome Parr at a USO dance on Fort Lewis where Jerry had just returned from four years of infantry service in Europe during WWII. Dancing into love, they were married September 12, 1947 and had their one and only son, Michael Lawrence, in 1955. Dolores excelled in bowling leagues with her sisters and friends serving also as secretary and loved her pinochle and bingo clubs. She was her son's Cub Scout pack den mother, became an expert at baking pies, and put together picture puzzles at record speed. Her most joyful times included having her sisters and husbands over for Sunday waffles after mass, camping in the Southwest Canyons, visiting and fishing with her favorite Missouri relatives, listening to Diana Ross and the Supremes as she raised her son, seeing live performances of Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, and The Commodores and spending special occasions with new family and old friends in Seattle, Leavenworth, Yakima and Tacoma. Dear to her heart were her close friends in the neighborhood of many years with whom she shared treasured conversation, picnics, shopping, barbecuing and birthdays. They were her other "daughters and sons" watching some grow up from childhood. All of her friends were "family" to her and they took great care of her and Jerry as they grew older. As a lifetime homemaker, she devoted herself to Michael and Jerry's welfare, the two greatest loves of her life. Dolores loved people and showed great kindness to all. We will miss your presence in our lives, Mom, so very much, but you will live close in our hearts as we know we will live in yours until we are joined eternally. Dolores is survived by her son, Michael and his wife Barbara, nieces, nephews and brother-in-law in Missouri, Minnesota and Tacoma. A Rosary will be recited Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7:00 pm at Gaffney Funeral Home, 1002 S. Yakima, Tacoma 98405. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, July 23, 2010 at 11:00 am at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 424 S. 30th St., Tacoma 98402 followed by a reception. Interment at Calvary Cemetery after reception.