Delores Poneman

Delores Poneman

Delores Suzanne Shapiro Poneman passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on April 17, 2020 at age 86.

Delores cherished her lifelong ties to the Toledo community. She grew up in Toledo, daughter of William and Jeanette Shapiro and loving sister to seven siblings (Reba, Idele, Adelyn, Blossom, Roseanne, Marshall and Daryl). She married the late Meyer Poneman in 1952 and together they raised three children, David, Daniel and Carol. Delores and Meyer were fantastic parents and being with their children was always the most important part of their lives. They also relished their time socializing with members of Twin Oaks Swim Club, and various faculty members at the University of Toledo.

For decades Delores was well-known in Toledo as a leading contract bridge player. A Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League, Delores was widely sought after not only as a bridge partner but also as an instructor as well as a director of the game at Laurel Hill for many years.

Delores loved gardening and was happiest puttering around her back-yard flower beds. She enjoyed bringing her flower beds to vibrant life every spring, while tending to her orchids indoors. Her love of nature extended to walks in Wildwood and Crosby Gardens, and the traditional Mother's Day weekend at Crane Creek where she delighted at the peak spring warbler migration.

She thrived on the cultural offerings of the Toledo Art Museum, the Toledo Symphony, the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, and her musical tastes ranged from jazz to classical. She was a gourmet chef, and for decades her family eagerly anticipated the wonderful Thanksgiving feasts she graciously hosted – complete with birthday cakes for her grandchildren. She loved to travel and enjoyed adventures from Europe to Africa to Australia.

She was passionate about our country and avidly followed current events. Delores was very engaged with social justice, volunteering at Warren School when she was younger and continuing to support the fight against hunger throughout her life. She was deeply committed to the Jewish community, and supported Jewish philanthropies.

Above all Delores was devoted to her loving family. Her love was unconditional and returned in the same measure. She was barely nineteen when she married Meyer Poneman, with whom she raised their three children, and spent 39 wonderful years until his passing in 1991.

After Meyer's death in 1991 Delores was fortunate to meet the late Jeffrey Dunn, a visiting professor at the University of Toledo. After their marriage Delores and Jeff lived in Perth, Australia for several years before returning to Toledo. During their 22 years of marriage they enjoyed playing bridge, socializing with good friends, and traveling together.

Delores was kind, loving, intelligent, and wise. She was the perfect wife, mother, sister, grandma, and aunt. She was a wonderful friend to countless others. Her family and friends always turned to her for support and advice, which she generously and happily gave. She helped so many others deal with their challenges so effectively because she combined deep empathy with an equal deep – yet pragmatic – understanding of human nature. Even in her advanced years, she was tuned into the vibes and issues of all generations, and her grandchildren often relied on her just as much as her friends and children.

In July, 2018, over 70 members of Delores's extended family and several close friends gathered in Toledo to celebrate her 85th birthday. That gathering was tremendously moving for Delores as well as for the attendees.

Delores will be missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her loving children, David (Elin), Daniel (Susan),and Carol (John); her loving grandchildren, Jeremy Dickson-Smith (Susan), Kristin Wood (Andrew), Julia Brodovsky (Jeffrey), Emma and Ian (Kaitlyn) Kropp, and Claire, Michael B., Edward, Michael A. and William Poneman; and loving great-grandchildren, Edward and Alan Dickson-Smith, and Gus and Leo Wood.

She was predeceased by her husband Meyer and second husband, Jeffrey Dunn; her parents, William and Jeanette Golob Shapiro; her sister, Idele and brother Marshall, and her brothers and sisters-in-law Florence Mirsky, Bernie and Lillie Bellman, and Sylvia, Harold and Beverly Poneman.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Feeding America.