Dolores Caporale

Dolores Caporale, of Hicksville, New York, peacefully passed away on January 12, 2026, at the age of 96. She was predeceased by her husband Louis A. Caporale “Buddy" the love of her life in October 1996. Dolores was a strong, beautiful woman who lived a full and meaningful life defined by creativity and love for her family.

Dolores was a loving and devoted mother to Barbara (Jay) Boland, Billy (Diana) Caporale and Susan (Ralph) Wahlert. She was a cherished grandmother and confidante to Olivia (Justin), Matthew (Christy), Alexandra and Wendy as well as an adoring great-grandmother to Luca, all of whom brought her immense joy.

Born in Brooklyn, Dolores always reminisced about how, as a young girl, she would draw movie stars and post them on her wall - Frank Sinatra being her teen idol.

Dolores found great fulfillment in creating—first as a fashion illustrator after receiving a scholarship to and graduating from Traphagen School of Fashion in Manhattan. Part of her artistic journey was as a landscape artist, painting watercolors “en plein air” at Captree State Park and the North Shore of Long Island with her fellow artists—particularly with members of the Long Island Branch of American Pen Women. Throughout her life she experimented with a broad range of materials and artistic media from painting and collage to printmaking and bookmaking. She had a distinct way of seeking out beauty and deep meaning in the details of everyday life.

Driven by a curiosity for the world, she was an avid reader with a strong interest in history and culture, always eager to expand her mind and worldview. That same spirit of curiosity carried her far beyond home: she loved to travel, and was especially drawn to the landscapes, colors, and cultures of the American Southwest, which left a lasting impression on her artistic practice. She was proud of her country and deeply patriotic.

Dolores had a profound appreciation for nature, especially gardening, and took special care tending to the living ecosystem of her yard, which was always filled, in every season, with beauty and birdsong. Summers spent at Jones Beach with her family were among her happiest moments, where she found peace and quiet contemplation while floating gently on the waves.

For Dolores, eating was a joy to be savored, and family celebrations were never complete without lingering together at the table over a meal. Being alone at home with the peace of her own thoughts and curiosities was also of deep importance to her. She especially enjoyed dark chocolate, one of her everyday pleasures.

Above all else, Dolores’s greatest love was her family. Her legacy of wisdom, creativity, and unwavering devotion will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

A Memorial Service will be held on January 28, 2026, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Vernon C. Wagner Funeral Homes, located at 125 W Old Country Road, Hicksville, NY, 11801.

A Committal Service will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park, 2030 Wellwood Ave, Farmingdale, NY, 11739