Dolores I. Monk

April 19, 1929 – April 18, 2025

Dolores I. Monk, lovingly known as Dody, passed away peacefully in Paoli, Pennsylvania on April 18, 2025, just one day before her 96th birthday. Dody lived a life full of warmth, compassion, and connection, bringing her radiant smile and listening heart to every person she met—whether family, friend, or stranger.

Born in Portsmouth, Ohio to Myrtle and James Doley, Dody carried her Midwestern grace and inner strength with her throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Fred L. Monk; her sisters Eileen Ferguson (Max) and Betty Wagner (Jack); her brother Bob Doley (Fran); and her parents.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Dody had several successful careers that reflected her industrious spirit and unwavering commitment to integrity. She began her professional life at a bank in Portsmouth, where she excelled at operating the IBM proof machine and became the bank’s instructor for the department. In Orlando, she became a licensed realtor and found success in furniture and appliance sales, where her ethical standards guided every transaction—famously refusing to sell bunk beds due to safety concerns. Later, she tended a hotel gift shop near the Orlando International Airport until the age of 81. There, her compassion and wisdom made her a trusted confidante to many, including young hotel employees and repeat hotel guests such as airline pilots, flight attendants and other regulars who knew they could share their innermost thoughts with her.

Dody was the cherished mother of Mike Monk and his husband David Queen and Laura Ruzzini and her husband Rich Ruzzini. She was a proud grandmother to Michelle Vereckey (Mike), Stephen Ruzzini, and Lucy Ruzzini, and great grandmother to Blaze Vereckey. Her family was a constant source of joy, and she poured love and guidance into every generation.

She lived with the highest commitment to kindness, caring and hard work. While living in Orlando, Dody was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, where she sang in the choir and served as social chairman. In her later years, she attended Trinity Presbyterian Church in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, where she found continued spiritual community.

Dody’s life was a testament to quiet strength, joyful generosity, and a deep belief in the value of human connection. She had a gift for making people feel seen and heard—offering a warm smile, a listening ear, and unwavering support.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 10 a.m. on May 10 at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home at Chapel Hill in Orlando, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dody Monk to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 640 Berwyn Ave, Berwyn, PA 19312.