Dolores Anna Brickner

Born April 19, 1924 on a farm in Tiffin, Ohio, she married her beloved husband on May 24, 1943. Theirs was a love story from their first dance. At 19 she traveled to South Dakota during WWII to visit him for her birthday and they decided they couldn’t wait to spend the rest of their lives together. Married for 78 years they were the best of friends sharing faith, military life, parenting, travel, hobbies and adventures.

Dolores was a force of nature. She lit up a room with her smile and took on many a worthy cause or project with total dedication. If she didn’t know you or thought you looked lonely she embraced you. Even on her deathbed she was inspiring people to strengthen their relationship with God. She was smart, focused, bold, courageous, creative, determined, competitive, loyal, generous and the most forgiving person ever encountered. She was also silly, stubborn, and sassy. After a stroke at 76 she decided she needed to fulfill her life goal of getting a GED, which she accomplished with honors at 78. She spoke before legislatures on issues that mattered to her and stepped into leadership with grace.

Always in motion, Dolores was an accomplished golfer, card player, bowler, and seamstress. She could be found driving her golf cart and dancing with her daughter to the end. Her love of Regency Cove was instrumental in it becoming resident-owned and many say she is the reason they found this little corner of paradise.

Dolores is survived by her daughter Mary “Carmen” Brickner and her sister Anna Louise Bailey. She is predeceased by her husband Albert J. Brickner, daughter Alice L. (Slope) Brickner, parents John Lawrence Raitz and Agnes Hoepf Raitz, brothers Paul and Robert Raitz, and four sisters Inez Eakin, Mary Lou Navarre, Dorothy Miller and Sister Esther Raitz, RSM.

A funeral mass will be held Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 12:00 pm at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 4518 S Manhattan Ave, Tampa, FL 33611. Her remains will return to St. Joseph Cemetery in Tiffin, Ohio along with her dear husband.