Obituary of Dolores E Lokenberg

Dolores E. Lokenberg January 28, 1920 - November 10, 2020 She was born in Dunkirk, New York, the oldest daughter of John Carl and Elsie Lena Eckert. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, John and Carol Lokenberg, James and Nancy Lokenberg, and Diane and Gene Timpano. Also nine Grandchildren, numerous Great Grandchildren, plus Nieces and Nephews. She lived with her Mom, Dad, younger sister Phyllis and her Grandmother. She moved with her family to Schenectady in 1937 when she was 17 years old. She spent her senior year at Nott Terrace High School and graduated in January. Later the family moved to Santa Fe Street. She married Albert Lokenberg in March 1942. The family held a 50th year celebration in Saratoga NY. They were married for 64 years before Albert passed. She was a member at Frieden’s Evangelical and Reformed Church where she first met Albert. Later in the 50’s they transferred to Pilgrim Congregational Church, both in Schenectady. When they first moved to Jacksonville, FL, they joined the Arlington Congregational Church and later Mandarin United Methodist Church. She was a member of Daughters of America in Schenectady. Retirement was in 1980 where she and Albert spent a few years traveling in their trailer. They spent 2 winters in Mission, TX, and then finally settled in Mandarin, Jacksonville in 1984. One of her proudest moments (besides giving birth to John, Jim and Diane) was receiving her 10,000 hour volunteer plaque from the Navy-Marine Corps Layette Program for knitting blankets, sweaters, hats and booties for newborns. In the 1990’s she and Albert were also honored by the American Heart Association as Volunteers of the Year in Jacksonville. She and Albert thoroughly enjoyed the Family Cruise to the Bahamas in the Spring of 2006, the year he died. All three of their children and spouses went with them. Later, she went to many of the Family Reunion Camping trips each summer. The first one in 2007 in the mountains and it rained nearly the entire week. She got wet several nights with a leaky pop-up roof! It was all in good fun! Her favorite things to do were knitting, playing the organ, word puzzles, bingo (a true wiz at this), reading, and socializing with others. She always said she had a sign on her forehead “Talk to me”! She had an uncanny ability to always remember names! She loved butterflies and anything purple! The blanket/afghans she made were the softest and most loved. She also could play a mean game of rummy- even at 100! And most of all gave the best hugs. She learned to drive with the help of the local Studebaker dealer. Her Dad said he would buy the car if the dealer taught her to drive. He did, she did, and he did! Some of the jobs she had in her younger years: While in High School she worked for a family baby sitting and making dinners, only to come home and help to make dinner with her Grandmother. After High School graduation January 1938, she worked at Ellis Hospital washing dishes, and then to making salads. She told the story many times that she got the job because she could slice the tomatoes razor thin! She was paid $8 a week. She wanted a radio and it cost $8!, a week of wages. She also had to pay her Mom and Dad room and board. Quite soon after Albert and Dolores were married, Albert was drafted and they traveled to California with a couple to be together before he left for overseas. Upon return to Schenectady during WWII she took a job at GE wrapping motor wire making her one of the original Rosie the Riveters! She was an A & P Bookkeeper, where she met an acquaintance of her Dad (John); he invited her to take a typing test at ALCO, which she did on her lunch hour and was immediately hired as a typist! She worked in “Diesel Planning” before diesels were made! She made $37 a week, which was good money back then. She loved that job. She’d type up the engineers notes, and every day they would rework them and she’d type them up again. She tells us the day Albert was to arrive home from the War, she keep looking out the window at work in anticipation of seeing him at the train station. Her boss finally told her “Dolores, you’re no good to me here. Go home and wait for your husband”! She worked at ALCO until the rule said she couldn’t. In those days a pregnant woman couldn’t be working, so she had to quit. Unfortunately that turned out to be a miscarriage. Later on, besides being a Mother to the 3 kids she also worked at a Grocery Store Safeway, then Grand Cash a local butcher shop/grocery store as a bookkeeper. Dolores also cooked for her family- Mother, Father and Grandmother. Later in Schenectady she took care of her Mother for 18 years and Albert’s Dad for 1-2 years. Mom was a great baker, especially known for her Apple Pie and German Coffee Cake. She even modified it for a bread maker. The recipes live on through her Grandchildren as she gave them each a recipe box she typed herself. She loved living on Stinger Way in Jacksonville, but was getting lonely after Albert died. She decided to move to Augustine Landing senior living apartments. There she enjoyed many wonderful years. She eventually got to be so frail that she needed to move to assisted living at Bartram Lakes. There she lived for a few more years with the help of the staff. Dolores-Mom-Aunt-Gramma-Great-Gramma-Great Aunt will be truly missed. She was ONE SPECIAL LADY.