Dolores Clara Smith

Dolores Clara Smith passed away peacefully in Seneca, SC on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the age of 95.

Born on December 11, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois, Dolores’s early years were marked by resilience and strength. At the age of eight, during the depths of the Great Depression, her parents could no longer care for their children, and she was placed at St. Hedwig’s Orphanage in Niles, Illinois, along with her brothers Walter and Joe and her sister Shirley. Though those early circumstances shaped her life in profound ways, they also formed the foundation of her strong will, independence, and perseverance.

At the age of thirteen, Dolores was placed in the foster home of Anna and George Henningsen, where she helped care for a child with special needs. Anna became an important and steady presence during her formative years. She carried forward throughout her life a deep appreciation for stability, family, and belonging.

Dolores was married in 1951 to the love of her life Rollin “Bud” Smith. After they married, they moved to Erie, Pennsylvania where they raised six children. She became a loving and supportive mother, always kind to strangers and naturally warm, especially toward those who needed support. She truly made everyone feel comfortable in her home while her children were growing up; in fact, many of the neighborhood children came to regard it as their second home.

In 1987 following Bud’s retirement, they moved to Keowee Key, in Salem, South Carolina. They quickly adapted to southern living, golfing with friends and enjoying the lake, and exploring the Upstate. Dolores, a dedicated gardener, was notably a founding member of the community’s gardening club. If you didn’t know where she was at any moment, you could find her outside planting flowers, pulling weeds or raking and bagging leaves (her nemesis in the fall).

Their 58 years together were marked by joy, laughter, and many family gatherings at Keowee Key (affectionately called “wazoos”). Grandchildren and great grandchildren loved coming to visit, where hugs and good times abounded. Dolores was always up for a game, particularly gin, where she inevitably won most hands. At 4:30, she’d pour herself her Manhattan on the rocks—her trademark happy hour cocktail.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bud; her daughter Barbara; her grandson Christopher; her siblings Walter, Joseph, and Shirley; and others dear to her. She is survived by her son Steven Smith (Joanne Heintz), and daughters Eileen Sarro (Bill), Sally Reed (Tom), Mary McCann, and Katie Greene, and 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She faced adversity without self-pity and built a life defined by family, strong work ethic, devotion, and humor. Her legacy lives on not only in her children and grandchildren, but in the countless acts of kindness she extended throughout her life. She will truly be missed.

The family expresses sincere and heartfelt thanks for the compassionate, caring support of the team at Hospice of the Foothills. They spoke to her as the person she was, treated the family with honesty and respect, and made her passing a peaceful one.

A celebration of life will be held at a date to be determined. Memorial donations can be made in her name to the Hospice of the Foothills in Seneca, SC.

Brown Funerals - Cremation Society of SC is assisting the family.