Delores Joan Hatch "Dee" DuBois

Delores Joan "Dee" Hatch DuBois, beloved matriarch of the DuBois clan, departed our midst Sept. 25, 2011 to continue her walk with the wind, at the age of 78 years, 8 months, 25 days and some hours, minutes and seconds. Dee was born on Dec. 31, 1932 in Sayre, Pa. to Ralph Richard Hatch and Geraldine Alexander Hatch. She attended Athens High School, graduating with the class of 1951. Her marriage to Ralph Blair DuBois gave her the chance to be the best mother in the world to their four daughters. She found a new freedom with her employment as a school bus driver and later at the Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, Pa., in the housekeeping department. Her life, like most, was filled with joys and sorrows. She had the great good fortune to have a lifelong friend, Lola "Lu" Jenney Fice, with whom she shared laughs, tears, and just about everything in between, most especially lots of good times. They sat and talked for hours about anything and nothing.

Delores was a woman of incredible strength, holding all her family and friends firmly within the circle of her love. There was never a day that she wasn't there for someone else. Her love was fierce, strong and comforting to those it was directed at, a true mama bear. This was never more evident than when she was blessed with her last grandchild, Olivia Willow. She was unwavering in her love, support and guidance during Olivia's extensive early hospitalizations and continued being an advocate for her special girl until her death. Livvi and her Amah were a team like no other. She loved reading, road trips; especially with Lu, music of many kinds, cooking; especially baking, gardening, good conversation and fun, fun, fun. She enjoyed her computer, when it behaved as she thought proper, and loved getting e-mails and hearing from a friend. She liked to shop, not necessarily to buy, more to look and as an excuse to go out to lunch with a friend like Lu. There are really no words to explain the void her absence has left. In her papers we found the following quote from George Elliot:

"Delicious autumn! my very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

Perhaps she is following the autumns.

She leaves behind her daughters, Alissa DuBois, Melanie Kellogg, Doreen DuBois, Heather DuBois; her special men, Richard Karp, Edward Kellogg, Bob Martin, Olivia's dad Tom Babcock; grandchildren Jason (Kandi) Kellogg and their children Dalton and Curtis Kellogg, Jessica Hunsinger and her children Ryan Hunsinger and Brittany Root, and her beloved Olivia Willow DuBois Babcock. She is also survived by her wonderful friend Lola Jenney Fice, her sister Deanna Sheldon, sister-in-law Lucille Hatch, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her brother, Ralph "Skip" Hatch.

There will be a celebration party of Dee's life at a later date, where all will be welcome to eat, drink, reminisce, and dance to her favorite tunes. Bring on the Roy Orbison, Elvis, Jimmy Cliff...