Dolores W. Smith died Friday afternoon at Santa Teresa Hospital
in San Jose at the age of 84.
Dolores W. Smith died Friday afternoon at Santa Teresa Hospital in San Jose at the age of 84.
Born in Turlock on April 19, 1921, she spent her younger years in Parkfield in Monterey County and her teenage years in Gilroy. Dolores had worked for the telephone company and met her first husband, the late Jim Gillaspie, in Salinas. After world War II, they moved to the Rancho Quien Sabe living there for nearly 25 years where their children were born and raised. She married Howard Smith in 1972 in Reno, and lived in Concord until he passed away in 2003. Dolores has lived the past year-and-a-half in Gilroy. She was an avid book reader and enjoyed traveling.
Dolores is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Jean Gillaspie of San Juan Bautista; daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Chuck Smith of Arizona; and son-in-law John Ritchie of Nevada. She is the stepmother of David Smith, wife, Dixie of Danville, Lorna Calhoun, husband, Jerry of Antioch and Barbara Morris, husband, Paul of Washington; grandmother of Annette Schwab, husband, Robert, and Shane Dutson of Arizona, James Ritchie, wife, Tammy, and Lori Kenny, husband, Eric, of Lodi; great-grandmother of Denim and Tyler Denton of Arizona. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lorraine Richie, who died in 2001 and her parents, Roy and Lillian Woll.
Friends may visit at the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home on Tuesday from 10am to 5pm. Funeral services will be at 11am Wednesday in the funeral home chapel. Graveside services and burial will follow at the IOOF Cemetery in Hollister. Contributions are preferred to American Cancer Society-Hollister Relay For Life or Hospice.
