Nalda Marie Doletzky

Nalda Marie Dumke was born on March 15, 1929 in Wayne, Michigan to Walter and Hattie (Goudy) Dumke. They lived in the house in Wayne that was built by Walter soon after he arrived from Germany as a teenager. As a young girl, Nalda spent a lot of time at her Grandma and Grandpa Goudy’s house. She would anxiously wait for her Grandpa to come home from work to get her big bear hug and take in the smell of his pipe. Aunt Mollie took her many different places and just enjoyed spending time with her. She adored her Uncle Hank the fireman. She even enjoyed hearing the sound of him stomping down the steps as he hurried off to answer the “firebell”. He was her hero!

When Nalda was about nine years old, she became a big sister to Jonada, a baby to play with and take for buggy rides. When it came time for Nalda to enter high school, she went with her friends Phyllis Doletzky/Long and Gerry Kaiser/Pitt to Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan. Soon after her graduation in 1947 from MLS she fell in love with Jim Doletzky who happened to live across the street and was the older brother of her friend Phyllis. Jim and Nalda were often found hanging out with Phyllis and Jim’s best buddy Earl Long. Earl’s jeep took them on many an adventure.

On September 24, 1949 Jim and Nalda were married at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Wayne. A couple years later on Nalda’s birthday, God blessed Jim and Nalda with a son David, 22 months later they were blessed with a daughter Gwynn, and then 16 months later, another daughter Barbara. Nalda was a very busy mom! Her children often fell asleep to the sound of the sewing machine buzzing! Someone was going to have something new to wear in the morning.

Every morning Nalda woke up early to get her husband coffee, cut his coffee cake or donuts into bitesize pieces and cut out the sections of his grapefruit for the convenience of eating breakfast as he read the newspaper. If it was cold enough for frost, snow or ice on the car, she would go out to start the car, and clean it off so it was ready for him to head out to work as soon as he finished breakfast.

Once her children were in school full time, Nalda began working for J.L. Hudson Company part time. She worked in Detroit until the Westland Mall was built where she was able to transfer to the Hudson’s at the new mall. She started working full time when her children decided they wanted to go to Michigan Lutheran Seminary for High School. Once again she “worked” for her kids. Her paychecks were used for tuition payments and material. Nalda was a very accomplished seamstress, making matching family outfits, square dance dresses with matching shirts, hats, suits, coats, her daughters’ wedding gowns, baptismal gowns and matching outfits for her grandchildren. Many people have bath towels with their names or initials embroidered on them by Hoho.

Nalda always welcomed all their children’s friends to come to their house after school or party at their home. Pop (eventually beer and drinks) and popcorn was always in stock at the Doletzky house and for those that spent the night, fresh baked Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls called them to the kitchen in the morning. The parties grew as their children grew into “adults”. Nalda silently stepped over several kids sleeping on the floor to get to the kitchen and begin baking those Cinnamon rolls! The parties continued at the Doletzky house even after the grandkids came. Hoho made sure there was room in her kingsize bed for all the grandkids while her children partied on downstairs.

Nalda was continually at her husband’s side volunteering at Camp Killarney, Square Dancing, her husband’s hobby printing group, her husband’s army and high school reunions, Wayne Historical Society and the Festival of Trees an Evergreen foundation for Children’s Hospital in Detroit. But her greatest joy came from volunteering at Huron Valley Lutheran High School. Not only was she known as Hoho (a name given to her by her first grandchild Rachel) to her grandchildren, but also by all the students and staff at HVL. Hearing them call her Hoho truly warmed her heart.

We, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have been so richly blessed to have her in our lives. We rejoice to know she now rests in the arms of Jesus who came to save us all.

Visitation Monday 2-8pm at the Harry J. Will Funeral Home, 34567 Michigan Ave in Wayne. Funeral Service will be Tuesday 11:00am, instate from 10am to 11am the time of service at Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, 9415 Merriman Rd, Livonia. Interment Glen Eden Lutheran Memorial Park at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Huron Valley Lutheran High School, Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Alzheimer’s Association or to the donor’s choice.