Dolores Suchomel
January 17, 1927 ~ May 2, 2020
Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life from 2-4 pm with a tribute to Dolores at 2:30 pm on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Mount Vernon Creates, 121 1st Street NW, Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314.
Dolores Suchomel, formerly of Mount Vernon and Cedar Rapids, died May 2, 2020, at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston of Covid-19. She was 93. A private family funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2020, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mount Vernon. Burial: St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Lisbon. Friends and extended family are invited to watch the Mass via Facebook live stream. Please search for and join the Remembering Dolores Suchomel private Facebook group for more information. A public celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are with Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon.
Dolores Mary Kaalberg was born January 17, 1927, in Muscatine to Frank J. and Mary Catherine Bermel Kaalberg. She grew up on a farm near Nichols and graduated from Nichols High School in 1945. She graduated from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids in 1947.
Dolores married Harold Suchomel of Cedar Rapids on August 3, 1949. They soon moved to Mount Vernon, where they raised their six children and lived for the next 63 years. Dolores was a capable and organized household manager, and an after-school child care provider for several families. She also provided telephone answering service in her home for two local businesses. One of those business led her to a full-time, 30-year career with Hertz Farm Management in Mount Vernon.
During retirement, she enjoyed volunteering at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
Dolores was a member of St. John's Catholic Church and was active on many committees. She was also the church's self-appointed welcoming committee, usually being the first person visitors and new members met.
In 1970, Dolores was honored as the University of Iowa's Mother of the Year.
Dolores spent her final years in nursing care, due to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents; a sister, Kathleen Pettigrew; an infant brother, Joseph; and her step-mother, Marie Kaalberg. She is survived by her six children: Rita (Dave) Dudley of Garber; Anne (Jim) Miller of Wabasha, Minnesota; Jane (John) Carlson of Indianola; Joan of Oak Park, Illinois; Kurt of Cedar Rapids; and Mark (Liz Ziehl) of River Forest, Illinois. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; a sister, Sr. Ramona Kaalberg of Johnston, and a brother, Gayle (Carol) Kaalberg of West Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Catholic Church, Mount Vernon, or Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, for the Dolores Kaalberg Suchomel Endowed Scholarship.
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So sorry for your loss. Deloris always holds a special place in our hearts from the times she watched us after school in Mt Vernon until the last time I saw her in Cedar Rapids. Thoughts and prayers are with you as you suffer this loss. Jenifer (Chadek) Prowant
Dolores was very kind to me when I moved to Mount Vernon, 30 years ago. As I was going through a very trying period in my life, her acquaintance was very much appreciated. I have been praying for her these last several years because of all that has befallen her. Sincerely, Patricia Charboneau, Mount Vernon.
Sending love for Jane and her family
I’m so sorry for the loss of Dolores. She and Harold were such a beautiful couple together and I always admired their love for each other. She was a lovely lady and always so concerned about every one elses’ well being. I will always remember here with a smile. My Sympathy, Annamae Baker
My deepest sympathy for the family. Our family were members of St. John’s Parish in Mt. Vernon. Her compassion and caring nature made everyone a friend. With love, Christine Chadek Deignan
The Suchomels were our next-door neighbors for four years, but lifelong friends. The treasured memories we made with this family can’t possibly have only been 4 years! I still can hear Mrs. Suchomel (because we NEVER called an adult by their first name!) answer the phone when I’d call to see if Joan could come out to play…”Mmmhello”. My favorite Delores Suchomel memory is the day that Kurt, Mark and my sister, Ann, decided to wallow in the rain-swollen ditch in front of our house on 5th Avenue South. Delores kept an immaculate house. She would not let Kurt and Mark come back in the house covered in dried, caked-on mud. She made them strip down to their underwear and sprayed them down with a garden hose while they ran away from her in their backyard before they could come in. All of this captured by my mom, Marion Lehman, with her ever-present camera. Yup. Those pictures are in our treasured family albums! Dolores also provided us with blankets and popcorn to gather on their front lawn and stare at the moon as the first moon landing occurred. I have so many fond recollections of my time with the Suchomel family and Delores and Harry were always at the center of them. All my love and appreciation to Rita, Ann, Jane, Joan, Kurt and Mark for such a wonderful childhood experience.
Your mom was a peach! (I did not know your dad as well.) I was very sorry to hear of her passing…a beautiful obit for a beautiful lady. My husband and I used to live in Anamosa and we planned masses at St Joe’s in Stone City when it became an oratory and Father Barnes was able to come back from New Hampton to say Mass. We always invited the Mt Vernon people as well at Father’s request. Your folks never missed a Mass until after your dad died and your mom’s health had failed. (We have since moved to Mt Vernon and now live next door to Ann Hufford.) It is a small world! Our sympathies, Kathleen Conmey (and Larry)
Dolores was an amazing Catholic Christian! A genuine pure heart she possessed~ Her life was testimony of the abiding and infinite love of Christ. My husband and I were very fond of both Dolores and Harry. They were sorely missed when they left St. John’s for Keystones Independent Living in Cedar Rapids, but never forgotten. May the Angels lead her to paradise; to God and beloved Harry! With Prayers and Sympathy, Cindy and Jim Kendall
Dear Rita, Joan, Anne, Jane, Kurt and Mark, my heart aches for each of you and I send my love. Your family was SO good to my kids and me for a year when we really needed good neighbors, following your mom’s lead! She was a dear neighbor, friend and co-worker for so many years. Rest in peace, my dear friend. Babs Moore
Dolores and Harry were good people. Quite the couple. Dolores did much work for the Chamber of Commerce for a number of years. Kind of ran the operation for some time. Condolences on her passing.
Dolores was a true Mount Mercy girl. She once told me that mandatory attendance at daily Mass and evening Rosary while she was a student at Mount Mercy left a lasting impression, as well as fulfilling a need in her life. Those things were the foundation of how she lived her life. She will be missed!