Dolores Marinello

It is with a heavy heart and a twinkle in our eyes that we announce the passing of the one and only Dolores Marinello. Born on January 18, 1932, in the hustle and bustle of New York City, Dolores brought joy, laughter and a fair deal of mischief to the world for 91 vivacious years, before peacefully bidding us adieu on July 28, 2023, in the serene town of Columbus, NJ.  

Dolores had a knack for numbers, a trait she honed at NYC public schools, leading to her firmly holding the financial reins as a bookkeeper at Hinkhouse Lithography in NYC. When she wasn’t busy balancing books, she was striking balance in antique shops she owned and operated in Rutherford, Lyndhurst, and Burlington NJ.

A woman of many passions, Dolores could be found either dusting off her rare collection of dolls and wedding cake toppers or shaking a leg at the local dance hall. As fate would have it, it was the dance floor that introduced her to her late husband, Salvatore Marinello. As she would often recount with a mischievous grin, "The way to a man's heart is through his feet on the dance floor. "  

Dolores was the beloved matriarch to her sons, Anthony and Salvatore Marinello Jr, their wives Carol and Jill, and her granddaughters Sofia, Ava, Lily, Gabrielle, Nicolette and grandson Douglas. Her wit, wisdom, and belly dancing moves will be greatly missed by her great-grandchildren Oliver, Caden, and Rayla, and the countless nieces and nephews who were lucky enough to be part of her life. 

She was the eldest of her siblings, with her sisters Carmen Holstrum, Josephine Sanchez, Sylvia Merlo, and her brother Joseph Gonzalez having predeceased her. She leaves behind her sister, Gloria Gonzalez, with whom she shared countless laughs and unforgettable memories. 

Dolores lived her life with the spirit of a dancer, always ready with a witty comeback or a funny anecdote. In the words of the legendary Bob Hope, "I've always been in the right place and time. Of course, I steered myself there." Dolores, too, steered her own life, full of laughter, and love and a passion for antique collecting. 

She was a woman who lived life on her own terms, always ready with a twinkle in her eye and a joke on her lips. Her infectious laughter, boundless energy, and unyielding love for her family will be dearly missed, but her spirit will continue to live on in the stories we share, the jokes we tell, and the dances we dance.

Her legacy is not merely one of longevity, but one of laughter and love. So, as we bid farewell to the incomparable Dolores Marinello, let's not forget to remember her with a smile on our faces, love in our hearts and the courage to dance like no one is watching. After all, that's how she would have wanted it.