Her legacy lives on in the family she nurtured, in the values she instilled, and in the countless lives she touched. And while she may no longer be with us in person, the love she gave continues to guide us, steady us, and remind us of who we can be at our best.
 
I will carry her with me always—not just in memory, but in the way I try to love others, just as she loved me.
 
Thank you for being my family, my guide, and my second mother. You will forever hold a place in my heart.
 
 
 
I’d like to close with Mom’s own words. The following poem, which she wrote, has hung on the wall in her dining room for as long as I’ve been part of the family, and I’m sure was there long before I became a Justice.
 
I sat and thought this morning,
How sad it’s going to be
When all my children are grown
And move away from me.
The way things are now
I know of all their plans
Their hopes, dreams, and disappointments,
And I help them when I can.
 
But how will it be then,
When they’re all gone away?
I can’t call them up and ask,
“Any problems today?”
For then, I’d be a prying Mother
Who can’t untie the apron strings
Who has to check on sister and brother
And won’t leave them to try new things.
 
But no, my children will be different,
They’ll keep in touch with me.
They’ll know that I am lonesome
And in need of company.
 
Then there’ll be the Grandchildren,
Lots of them, I hope.
I’ll babysit, and cook and bake
And make figures out of soap.
Our home will always be open to them,
Whenever they want to come
And when they’re here, the quiet will go,
And things again will hum.
 
I hope they’ll all come often,
That thought makes me glad.
Maybe when they’re all grown up,
It really won’t be so bad.
 
As much as we will miss seeing Mom and spending time with her, we’ll be OK, and that’s because of her. If she could be here, she would tell us all, “Be there for each other, protect each other, and make your bond stronger than any other.” That’s what she would say, and that’s what she did, every day

Mom’s children in-law also felt that unconditional love. Jimmy, Gayle, Eddie, Linda, and myself were her children as much as Valeri, Roy, Veronica, and Eric. Eddie and Linda are no longer with us, but I’m sure they’d agree that Mom accepted each of us into her family, overlooked our flaws, celebrated our virtues, and loved us as well and fiercely as the children she gave birth to.
 
As Roy’s first wife, Gayle, said:
 
Today, we honor a remarkable woman—someone who, to me, was never "just" a mother-in-law, but truly a mother in every sense that matters.
 
From the very beginning, she welcomed me not as an outsider joining the family, but as someone who already belonged. She had a way of making people feel seen, valued, and loved— effortlessly and sincerely. There was no pretense in her kindness, no conditions attached to her care. She simply gave her heart, and in doing so, she changed mine.
 
She taught me so much, not always through words, but through the way she lived her life, through her patience, her strength, her quiet generosity, and the love she poured into her family every single day.
 
She showed me what it means to support others without hesitation, to listen without judgment, and to love without limits.
 
I will always be grateful for the moments we shared—the conversations, the laughter, the comfort of knowing she was there. She had a special way of making ordinary days feel meaningful and difficult days feel a little lighter. That is a rare gift.
 
Losing her leaves an emptiness that words can't fully express. But alongside that grief is something else: deep gratitude. Gratitude that I and all her children and their families were lucky enough to know her, to learn from her, and to be loved by her. 3/4

One of the most important things Mom taught us was how to love and take care of our children, to support them and nurture them so they would grow into the amazing adults they became. Mom loved to see her grandchildren smile. The way it would light up their faces always made her smile too. Her grandchildren—Jamie, Dan, Cheryl, Amy, Ariel, Christopher, and Julia—and step-grandchildren—Sarah, Becky, Mary, and Hannah—you should know that she held you close to her heart, whether you were in her arms, at her dining table, or hundreds of miles away. The same is true for the partners of her grandchildren and all of her great grandchildren.
 
Her granddaughter Amy captured all the grandchildrens’ experience with the following:
 
One thing I knew I could count to be consistent in my life was Grandma's love and acceptance. Neither time, distance, nor life's mistakes and challenges ever changed that.
 
In fact, those are the times where I felt she loved me harder. I know I'm one of many who felt that constant love and it was passed down from generation to generation.
 
I will always celebrate in my heart and share the memories with my children of the summers spent in that house, the chiming of the dining room clock, the bowls of Cocoa Krispies and slices of raisin toast, and getting locked in the hallway bathroom.
 
But what I will miss the most is the sound of her voice, the way her face would light up when she saw any of us, the hugs, the jokes at our expense that we knew came from love, and the sight of her handwriting in my mailbox. We had all her love, and she will always have ours. 2/3

If you're lucky enough to have all your parents or grandparents, you're unlucky enough to have to say goodbye to all of them. The most amazing mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in the universe rejoined her husband, sisters, and the parents she lost at such a young age after giving the rest of us 97 years of unconditional, never-ending love and a lifetime of wonderful memories.
 
Our mother’s granddaughter Jamie wrote that, and nobody could argue with it. Her daughter Veronica composed the following based on memories and suggestions from all of her siblings:
 
If it is possible to love with more than all of your heart, Dolores Justice was the one who could do that. She loved with every cell in her body, every fiber of her being.
 
We felt protected, even smothered at times, but that’s the way Mom took care of us. She gave advice freely and generously but never forced her opinion on us. She was meticulous and well organized down to the last detail. She kept the books like nobody’s business.
 
She was no-nonsense and the strongest person we knew, but she was also selfless and humble and always put herself last.
 
She hid her struggles and her pain but never hesitated to listen and take on our burdens. She didn’t always have the answer or a solution, but she was always there with her compassion.
 
Her love extended outside her family too, manifesting as loyalty to her friends, like the Bowling Girls, commitment to the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and deep compassion for friends and strangers alike. 1/3

To all:
I am so sorry about your mom.  I will miss her birthday cards every year that she has sent to me for the  past 66 years! I have some great childhood memories thanks to her!  Thanks you Mrs.J for being a good friend to my mom and dad. Love you all. Jo (Jody) Val you are the only one that calls me that!♥️

OBITUARY

Dolores Joan Justice

October 23, 1928 – March 18, 2026

James Funeral Home

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