Dolores Josephine Nedd
Jan. 19, 1930-Nov. 9, 2024
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Donna Pendleton
Dolores (Dee) Josephine Nedd passed away at the age of 94, on November 9, 2024 with family at her bedside.
Dolores was born on Jan 19, 1930 to Annette Fazzino and Giovanni (Joe /John) Mibelli in San Francisco. She was also known as “Babe” as she was the little one among many aunts and uncles who were all 10+ years older than she was and would help care for her. Dolores was a very good student and enjoyed helping the nuns at an afterschool daycare, which she also attended when she was little. As a Junior at Commerce High School, she worked after school and Saturdays at Wells Fargo Bank in downtown SF. There, she met the love of her life, Robert (Bob). She said, “I knew he was the one, but while all the girls in the bank would talk and gush over him, I kept to myself and did my work”. A year after her high school graduation, they were married June 13, 1948!
Renting an apartment on Dolores Street in San Francisco, they both were working and Bob continued attending University of San Francisco. He earned his degree and after one more year and a new job, they decided to purchase a house, with the help of a GI bill, for $14,500, “way down the Peninsula”, in Palo Alto! Their parents thought they were crazy to move so far away!
A few years later, their first born was Donna. They would have weekend BBQ’s with family and friends after doing the Saturday yardwork. Bob took in extra work doing taxes for others and keeping books for a friend’s glass company. Times were fun and busy. Three years later, their son was born, Gary. Life was good and they felt very blessed. She loved being a wife and mother, and she was the best at both. Kind, loving, caring, devoted to her family and friends. As time progressed, Dee (as Bob would call her - and it stuck!) enjoyed bowling leagues, flower arranging classes, exercise swimming, helping at local charity bazaars, among other ways to help in the community, including school room mother (many times!), PTA, Girl Scouts. Contributing time once a week at C.A.R (Community Association for Rehabilitation - now called Abilities United), was her very favorite place to be!
Her love and devotion of family extended to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was always so happy to announce in conversations that she had 8 great-grandchildren! She and dad would attend every activity of the grandkids - from sports to dances, plays, graduations, Scouting events, and more. They were so happy to attend and their grandchildren have grown up saying how wonderful it was to have their grandparents always cheering them on. Their friends would be jealous that their grandparents did not live close by, but grandma and grandpa were known to many friends and were called by name and included in fun and joking! Grandpa would make up special names for grandkids and their friends and grandma always asked how they were as years progressed and their childhood friends grew!
With Bob’s company, playing in handball tournaments across the country, as well as after retirement, they were able to travel together. In the US, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, some Europe and in Croatia, being a business consultant/mediator. Flights, ships, buses, trains - they enjoyed their time traveling together and with friends, family and people they met on these excursions! Family trips were great fun and wonderful memories!!
They were both such great examples of kindness, helping, sharing, and love. They were always available to lend a hand, listening ear, whatever was needed. Dee was heartbroken when Bob passed at age 93. Right after, she had major back surgery which took a bit to get back on her feet. She was always active, so this was frustrating! Two years later, she had surgery for a Meninganoma at age 89. This was a tough one - her left side was like having a stroke. Thankfully, she was able to speak well and all of her other senses were fine! She physically could not walk or do some activities on her own. Through this frustration, she always tried to be cheerful and pleasant to the staff where she lived and we are so grateful for the care she was given! She was one of their favorite tenants, many would say. Having to stay in her room all during Covid, was such a long, difficult time. We would visit at her window, communicating by telephone to hear each other. She endured to the end with grace and kindness.
As much as she had different issues through the 6 years after dad passed, including a major case of Covid, she was doing well in her 94 years. She couldn’t believe she was that age and we’d all joke about all of our ages! One day, she was taken to Stanford with a pain that would not go away in her stomach area. They did X-rays, CTs and an MRI, saying all looked fine, but would keep her for observation through the next night. All was still looking good, so they were going to release her the next day. We thought, OK, that is good - we will see her at her room tomorrow! The following night, we were at Anden’s (GGS) school play when we got a call that we should come to the hospital, she was not doing well. That was at 8pm. We arrived at 8:45, taken into a room to be told she would not make it though the night and if they did surgery, she most likely would not live through it, or the long, painful recovery. Our dear mother passed at 1am. We were grateful to be able to be with her, to talk with her and she responded, and went to be with her sweet husband! We played the Hawaiian Wedding song, which they both loved, and during it, she quietly passed, just as she hoped, quietly without much pain. What a beautiful life! We all learned many things from these two special people and we are so grateful for the time we had together as family! We will see you again soon!
Dee and Bob are survived by children Donna (Clyde) Pendleton, Gary Nedd, their grandchildren who brought them great joy Stephanie (Alex) Yap, Kathryn (Lars) Heinke, Vanessa (Ben) Terry, Robert (Amelia) Pendleton, and Sara Fernandez, with precious great-grandchildren Sophia and Oliver Terry, Lucia, Penny, and Dominic Yap, Annabelle Heinke, and Maia and Anden Fernandez, brother John (Dixie) Mibelli, nieces and nephews Victor and Gina Mibelli, Barbara Bleyle, and Jeff Nedd. We love you mom and dad and miss you so!!
