Obituary of Dolores M. Versage

At age 94. On September 19, with broken hearts we said our goodbyes to a devoted wife, mother, nana, special aunt and cousin. Predeceased by her husband, Joseph; parents, Joseph and Anna Battaglia; brother in-law, Ronald Rizzo. She leaves her loving daughter, Linda (Walter Brodie), grandchildren, Emily and Kaelen; Loving daughter, Kimberly (Chris) Jones; Granddaughter, Brianna; Sister, Patricia Joyce Rizzo.

Dolores led a long and active life. After high school, Dolores attended Rochester Business Institute and worked for a short time at Kodak. She soon met her beloved husband-to-be, Joe, on the very street she lived on. Joe worked in his family’s small food market at the end of the block. Before long they were married and started a long life together, including welcoming their two daughters Linda and Kim. Joe and Dolores were married for 69 years, until Joe’s passing in 2020.

As a young woman, Dolores learned to cook; especially getting tips from Joe’s sister, Josephine, and their father. She was a quick learner, and many will remember her for her talents in the kitchen. But that was not the only place she excelled. In her earlier years she liked to bowl though eventually golfing took over and she played weekly. She loved to walk the course and enjoyed nature and the wildlife they’d see while golfing.

Dolores had many other interests over the years including sewing, gardening, and traveling and she was a talented craftswoman. She did stained glass, pottery and in her last few years she learned to do some painting and loved it. Dolores was always creating something new and displaying hand-made items in her home or gifting them to family. She and Joe had a condo in Delray, Florida for many years and they both loved spending their winters down there. It goes without saying that Dolores enjoyed time with family; entertaining, relaxing, visiting, or watching a game together.

Throughout the years, Dolores assisted Joe with his various businesses, especially their Carvel Ice Cream store in Henrietta and Joe’s vending business. She enjoyed telling people about how they made their income in dimes and quarters. She would spend hours sorting out coins and kept herself fit by carrying all those heavy bags to the bank! Dolores was good with numbers and helped keep the business accounting books too.

One of the things that Dolores can be remembered for is how devoted she was to keeping her life-long friends. She was still best friends with gals from kindergarten and elementary school until they eventually passed in their elderly years. In addition, she and Joe led an active social life with many of their best friends and close cousins throughout their lives; visiting at each other’s homes, going out for meals, dancing and spending vacations together. They knew how to have a good time with each other.

Please join the family on October 11, at 10am at St. Paul’s Church for her Memorial Mass. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Webster Comfort Care Home; https://www.webstercomfortcare.org