DOLORES J. BARRETT

BARRETT--Dolores J. Dolores died peacefully in her sleep on December 24, 2013, after a series of long and debilitating illnesses, which she suffered with her characteristic restraint, dignity, and indomitable spirit. Her many friends in the fields of fashion, design, medicine, and media admired her as an elegant woman of impeccable taste, rock-steady values, and an empathetic nature that allowed her to understand and share the feelings of others. She was the middle child of Mildred and Dwight Cupp, both of whom were well-known residents of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Her father died when she was two years old, and she eventually adopted the surname of her stepfather, Robert Jones. She was a graduate of Penn State, where she was invited to join Mortar Board, the premier national honor society recognizing college seniors. After receiving her master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, she embarked on a distinguished career as a public relations executive at The New York Hospital, CBS, and Polo Ralph Lauren. During the eight years in which she served as the Senior Vice President for Worldwide Public Relations at Polo, Dolores worked closely with the designer Ralph Lauren, and is widely credited with helping him build his global brand and making Ralph Lauren a household name beyond the fashion industry. She was married for 26 years to Edward Klein, the former editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine and the author of numerous nonfiction bestsellers. Her son, Robertson Barrett, is Vice President of Yahoo News and Finance. Her daughter, Melissa Barrett Rhodes, is Vice President of Brand Development for Clarins. Her stepdaughter, Karen Hirsch, is the former co-manager of the Four Seasons Restaurant. Dolores was a loving and deeply involved grandmother to John and Annalise Rhodes, Nathaniel and Cora Barrett, and Jesse Hirsch. She is also survived by her sister, Natalie Kearns, and her brother, John Jones. She leaves a void in the hearts of her family and friends that can only be filled by the memories of love, warmth and happiness that she left behind.