Dolores Theresa Buggy

1929 - 2025

On March 24, 2025, the Lord finally heard Dolores Theresa Buggy's prayers and took her home to Him. "Well done, my child." She joined her parents and her son Michael. Dolores was born in Pennsylvania, the eldest of three children. She enjoyed dancing to the Big Band music, especially Tommy Dorsey. After high school she went to the University of Dayton, Ohio. After graduation, she looked at the career options open to women at that time – teacher or nurse – and chose to become a nurse.

Upon graduating from Sacred Heart Nursing School, she taught nursing for 2 years and then said good bye to Pennsylvania winters forever! She climbed into the Studebaker her father had bought her for graduation, along with two other adventurous girlfriends, and drove out west to California. She joined the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps stationed in Oakland, and had high times with those amazing women. She met a fellow Navy man, Mike Buggy, on a ski trip to Squaw Valley (Tahoe), and they were married soon after. Three kids came in quick succession – Maureen, Michael, and Mark, who were joined a few years later by Michelle - much to the delight of her siblings! Skiing became a family activity with the kids and she continued skiing into her 70's.

Dolores continued her nursing career, and retired just in time to start taking care of her grandchildren - Sean, William, Kyran, Rita and Finn. She was a big part of their lives, taking each of them on a Rhodes-Scholar trip to some interesting place in the US, even rafting down the Grand Canyon at age 84 with Rita ! She started our annual family vacation to Capitola, a tradition we will be continuing in her name. Dolores was an active member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and was an associate of the Sisters of the Holy Family. She loved to give back to others. Dolores was an artist, a beach-lover, a book-reader and seamstress. She brought creativity and culture into our lives, and instilled in us a desire to always learn new things and seek new experiences.

Throughout her life, the greatest example she shared with us was to spread Love. After her divorce, she donned a backpack at the age of 50 and joined Maureen for 3 months of backpacking around Europe, taking trains and staying in hostels. In her retirement, she went on a cruise to Norway, went on a sketching trip to the South of France, and joined us for many family trips to Scotland, Poland and France. She travelled with family through her 70's, and her joy of travel was passed on to her children.