Delores May Redding

Delores May Redding passed away, very peacefully asleep, in the wee hours of Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Her beloved survivors are too many to state individually. Mom loved to include everyone: immediate families, extended families and family friends. So briefly:2 daughters, Mora and Faylene2 sons-in-law, Kevin and Joel and their families1 son, Joe – dad of her four adult grandkids: Mike, Rae, Katelyn, and the youngest, Jessica; their mom, Cheri, and her family6 siblings with families1 deceased sibling’s familiesDelores was the oldest sibling of 8:then Millie, Lyndall (deceased), Rudy, Ann, Jim, Peter, and the youngest, TimThe families of her deceased husband

Earlier in life, she was Delores Kliemann, a tough Michigan farm girl, thanks to her dad, Rudy Kliemann. She would fuss to get her hair perfect before school, miss her ride, and walk the one mile to school even in the winter snow. She wasn’t too perfect to dig up potatoes with her beloved St. Mary’s highschool classmates in the summer. She enjoyed doing her own hair and sewing her own clothes thanks to her mom, Delores Zech, and her grandma, Marguerite Achatz. Delores, also known as Dee, learned and shared so much from her many aunts and uncles, too. Dee's mother and her mother's mother also came from families of 8 siblings.

From an extending and expanding family, Dee was the square-dance belle-of-the-ball thanks to her other dad, Zig Zech. Dee even experienced the gift and blessing to raise her own tough Michigan farm kids, thanks to her other mom, Nellie Hayden. Grandma Nellie always welcomed us with Grandpa Rudy at their farm every summer; sharing more people and places together, inviting the family to grow even more.

Then after high school, Dee became the brave big sister, who left Michigan for administrative training in Minnesota. She became a city girl at 19, doing administrative work for commercial airlines, while living in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Tutty, as her family lovingly called her, always returned to Michigan to share her stories and deliver gifts to her 7 siblings.Then she met someone outside of her beloved Michigan family here in Washington DC. He was from Pennsylvania. Edward Rapheal Redding and Delores May Kliemann got married in Michigan; started their own family in Virginia; then moved their first baby into DC, adding three more babies over a span of 10 years.

Ed and Dee enjoyed great times at the Our Lady of Victoria (OLV) church and school on MacArthur Boulevard in Northwest DC with their four children. Ed became a deacon serving the parish community, while Dee became one of the “hot lunch bunch” volunteer-founders serving the parish kids healthy, hot, school-kitchen-made lunches with other moms. Friends quickly became extended family in DC, yet every summer Dee brought her DC family back up to her Michigan family to continue to grow good times together.

Ed and Dee also experienced challenging times, especially when their son, Michael Edward John Paul Redding, died in 1986 to be remembered always. After the many years of being a full-time mom of four, while also being a full-time devout caregiver to her eldest son, Delores rallied, throwing herself back into the official workforce. Her family again grew as her wonderful new boss and co-workers became friends, who were more and more like family members over the years.Ed abruptly died in September of 2003 from a massive stroke. Coming from a family of 7 siblings, he and Dee had made many very precious family visits to his relatives in the 1970's. His parents, Simon Redding and Harriet Miller, both deceased, loved these family visits to their Marsh Creek Park, in Pennsylvania. Ed's last trip to his beloved Pennsylvania had been much later on with his youngest son, Joe, for Ed's brother Bob's funeral.

In October of 2003, Dee made what was to become her last trip to her beloved Michigan family, with her eldest daughter, Mora. Upon returning, Dee again focused on her DC family, greatly appreciating her work family's support. Dee focused on what she loved: her faith; her kids and her grandkids; her administrative work and all the people it brought to her; together sharing and enjoying daily life on the job; her Michigan memories, her Pennsylvania memories and all her relatives and friends. She shared her love with everyone. She even shared some jawing and some sassing. Dee's job was her home away from home. She felt forever blessed and thankful for it and all the people in it.

Retiring with grit, grace and gratitude at 85 in 2019, Dee began her Graduation march in October of that year. The next 4 years she was, as always: a trooper - who knew getting knocked down always meant getting back up; a tough Michigan farm girl - who knew she loved this earth and all the people on it always, no matter what; a forever buddy - who always stands by you through thick and thin and even through thicker and thinner; and a guide - who was not afraid to lead the way just by being, always and forever, dancing and singing, embracing The Mystery.

Despite the stages of dementia, Delores retained, to some brief extent, the ability to recognize the faces and recite the names of her immediate DC family; even momentarily regaining some Michigan names and memories, that had earlier seemed forgotten, as her graduation time neared. She smiled at names and nodded at stories again, so precious as a brand-new child. Through it all, Dee was innately still Dee, Mom still Mom, Tutty still Tutty, spreading unconditional love. Dee was extending and expanding pure unconditional love through everyday life, all over this beautiful planet, just by being here.We thank our mom and her entire family, including all her friends, for all our great memories together. The memories from all these loved ones and all their beloved places now serve as great healing tonics. Dee, Mom, Delores, Tutty, officially began her graduation march on October 17, 2019; four years later, Dee has successfully graduated.

We are forever grateful to Mom’s boss, co-workers and their families, for their love of our mother. We thank all our relatives and friends everywhere for their love. We thank every stranger for kindly making our mom’s day just by sharing a smile or a chat with her as they crossed paths briefly in their everyday lives. We thank Mom's doctors, dentists and their staffs; we thank Mom's great entire hospice team, so greatly supporting and guiding us in the last days and hours of her graduation, her crossing over. We thank everyone at OLV Church, DeVol Funeral Home, and Gate of Heaven Cemetery for supporting and guiding us in this graduation process. We know Mom loves and thanks everyone of you.

We celebrate the many facets and dimensions of Delores May Redding: Best Mom, Best Sister, Best Grandma, Best Aunt, Best Spouse, Best Daughter, Best Cousin, Best Friend, Best Stranger to Meet on the Street, Best Career Woman, Best Housewife, Best Neighbor, Best School Mom, Best Trooper, Best Table Dancer, Best Singer, Best Traveler, Best Tough Michigan Farm Girl, Best Storyteller, Best Jawer, Best Sasser, Best Volunteer, Best Administrator, Best Caregiver, Best Patient, Best Chanter, Best Teacher, Best Guide, Ever! Etc, etc, etc.

This is only the beginning. Congratulations, Mom, on your Graduation!!!!! We all must graduate. Thank you for lighting the way so beautifully!!!!! We are always together forever and ever. All One. One All.

Here are two quotes from Mom during her Graduation March:Upon your greeting her, she’d say so genuinely and joyfully, with sparkling eyes and a dazzling smile, “I am so glad of you!”And after a loud moment of her grumpy sassing and jawing, she’d stop to lovingly and calmly say, “Oh, I love it all! I accept it all!”

Please join us in celebrating Delores May Redding's Beautiful Graduation:

Visitation: 10:30-11:30AMandFuneral Mass: 11:30 AMAt Our Lady of Victory Church4835 MacArthur Blvd NWWashington DC 20007202-337-4835

Burial Committal Prayer: 1 PMAt Gate of Heaven Cemetery13801 Georgia Ave.Silver Spring, MD 20906301-871-1300