Mrs. Dolores A. Dessereau

Mrs. Dolores (Holmberg) Dessereau, of Pittsfield, MA, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the age of 100 years, just a couple of weeks shy of her 101st birthday. She was born in Islip, NY, on May 31, 1924, the daughter of Conrad and Sarah Holmberg. Dolores was the eldest of five children born to the couple. She graduated from Wilby High School in Waterbury, CT, in 1942. Dolores met her future husband, John “Jack” Dessereau, while living in Waterbury, CT. He joined the Army after graduation and was sent to Europe to fight in World War II. Dolores worked at Scovill Manufacturing making hand grenades in support of the wartime efforts. She waited for Jack to return. When he did, they defied her father’s opposition to the pairing and eloped to Hartford, CT on December 11,1946. She said recently that they had been happy every single one of the 61 years they were married. After the war, Dolores and Jack settled in Pittsfield, MA where they raised four sons. They owned the Palace News on North Street until 1965, and Dolores later worked for Sears, retiring from there in 1986. Dolores was a gifted artist and made beautiful hand-painted cards for family and friends on every holiday, birthday and anniversary as well as paintings. She and Jack loved to travel together to destinations all over the world. They visited Georgia and Florida as often as possible to visit family there. Dolores had a wonderful and silly sense of humor, but her greatest joy was her family. Nothing made her happier than when the family gathered together at Christmas and in the summertime at her son Edward’s house to swim in the pool and cookout together. Dolores was preceded in death by her husband John Dessereau, her eldest son Edward Dessereau, her son Stephen Dessereau, her brother Conrad Holmberg Jr. and her sister Sarita Joyner. She is survived by her sons Michael Dessereau and James Dessereau, her daughter Ann (Goyette) Dessereau, her sisters Lorraine Gaherty and Claudine Joyner, her grandchildren Carrie Scales (Chris), Matthew Dessereau (Alicia), Jack Dessereau, Ray Dessereau and Cole Dessereau, her great-grandchildren Cameron McGinnis, Maisie McGinnis and Alabama Scales and her nieces and nephews. Dolores’ family would also like to express their deepest gratitude for the staff at Craneville Place in Dalton, who took such wonderful care of her. Funeral Notice: Funeral services for Dolores will be private.

Mrs. Dolores A. Dessereau

May 31, 1924 - May 3, 2025