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Dolores Karlek Obituary - Hill Funeral Home

Arrangements

 Please join the family for visitation on Monday, January 16, 2023 from 4 to 6 PM at Hill Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 220 S. State St., Westerville OH 43081. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 10 AM at St. Elizabeth Church 6077 Sharon Woods Blvd. Columbus OH 43229. Interment will be at Parkview Memorial Cemetery, 34205 5 Mile Rd., Livonia MI 48154. 

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Obituary for Dolores Karlek

Dolores Karlek 1929-2023

Dolores Karlek

11/08/1929 - 01/11/2023

Dolores Karlek, age 93 of Westerville OH passed away Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

She was born November 8, 1929 in Detroit MI to the late Carl and Lola (Bunning) Karlek. She grew up in Detroit and enjoyed all that the city had to offer including shopping, historical sites, and gambling. She also loved visiting her family in Canada and has so many fond memories of her time spent with aunts, uncles, and cousins. She graduated from Immaculata High School in 1946 and soon after started working for Ford Motor Company in the Detroit area. She soon moved to the Rouge plant and worked as a cost analyst at a time when not many women were given these kinds of opportunities. She worked at Ford for 35 years prior to retiring.

She met lifelong friends while at Ford including her companion, Eric Craft and a group of 11 other couples. Dolores spent many years traveling with her friends in the “Ford Girls’ Club.” She loved sharing stories of her travels with her family and friends. She was a talented seamstress, knitter, quilter, and embroider. Throughout the years, her family received a gift of a beautiful afghan or other work of art. She was on a bowling team for many years, but her passion was golf. She enjoyed spending time on the links and when she could no longer play, she watched a lot of golf on TV. Dolores loved her nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren and spending time with them brought her so much happiness. The feeling was mutual. Playing Yahtzee when they were young and cribbage when they were older was pure joy for her. Many evenings ended with so much laughter that tears would pour down her face.

Most importantly, she was a loving caretaker for her mother, Lola, her father, Carl and her lifelong companion, Eric, when they needed her care the most. For thirty years, she cared for them until their deaths and gave her nieces the most wonderful example of how to live a life of service for those you love.

Dolores will be deeply missed by her nieces, Deb (Bob) Zabloudil, Danette (Dave) Stout, Diane (Rick) Erhard; great nieces and nephews, Bob (Renae) Zabloudil, Dan Zabloudil, Tiffany (Eric) Haupt, Katie (Steve) Shiner, Tom Cilibraise, Aeran (Matt O’Donnell) Cilibraise, Carl (Julia) Erhard, Justin (Kayla) Erhard, Kelsie (Tim Herold) Erhard; great-great nieces and nephews, Lexi Zabloudil, Natalie Zabloudil, Vinny Zabloudil, Brady Zabloudil, Landon Zabloudil, Cooper Zabloudil, Carter Haupt, Ethan Haupt, Leeann Haupt, Madelyn Erhard, Zack Erhard, Easton Erhard, Oakley Erhard, Wilson Erhard, Jackson Herold and sister-in-law Dee Cilibraise.

In addition to her parents and lifelong companion Eric, Dolores was preceded in death by her sister, Joanne (Karlek) Cilibraise, brother-in-law Joe Cilibraise, nephew, Don Cilibraise, and great-nephew, Matthew Cilibraise.

Please join the family for visitation on Monday, January 16, 2023 from 4 to 6 PM at Hill Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 220 S. State St., Westerville OH 43081. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 10 AM at St. Elizabeth Church 6077 Sharon Woods Blvd. Columbus OH 43229. Interment will be at Parkview Memorial Cemetery, 34205 5 Mile Rd., Livonia MI 48154.

Donations in her memory can be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Elizabeth Church or to the charity of your choice.