Delores Darato

Delores Darato, 89, of St. Joseph, MI, passed away Sunday, January 5, 2014 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 am Saturday, January 11 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 555 Delaware, Benton Harbor with Fr. William Jacobs, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Friends may visit Friday, January 10 from 5-8 pm at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Prayers will also be recited on Friday at 7:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in the form of a Mass, to S/S John-Bernard Parish, or to the Knights of Columbus Counsel 1120. Those wishing to share a memory of Delores online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Delores was born September 2, 1924, in Chicago, IL to Thomas & Ella (Wenzel) Torkilsen. On June 30, 1945 she married Dominick Darato in Benton Harbor. Together they shared 48 happily married years as she devoted herself to raising a family. Friends and family deeply appreciated her warm and generous hospitality. She enjoyed cooking for her family and was eager to share meals with neighbors and friends. Delores’ helpful and friendly nature led her to volunteering and working as a cook over 30 years in the Lakeland Hospital Coffee Shop. She was a kind and generous lady and treated everyone as family. She never missed an opportunity to help someone. Family was always her highest priority. She enjoyed spending time with them and keeping in contact with out of town relatives. She especially enjoyed treating her grandchildren to ice cream. Delores was a member of the Blossomland Columbian Club Auxiliary. She enjoyed helping at Bingo night with her husband for the Knights of Columbus. She was very active in her church and volunteered at the Catholic Community Center. She was involved in community events and was a Silver Beach Carousel sponsor. Delores is survived by her two sons, Raymond (Lizbeth) Darato and David (Audrey) Darato, both of St. Joseph; two daughters, Bonnie (Michael) Estkowski and Christine (Christopher) Jones, also both of St. Joseph; six grandchildren Alyssa (Ryan) Mailly, Nick Darato, Matt (Gina) Estkowski, Lauren Estkowski, Susanne Jones and Kevin Jones; two great grandchildren Tyler and Dominic Estkowski; and many nieces & nephews. Delores was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dominick Darato (December 3, 1993), son Alan Darato (March 25, 2006), two sisters Evelyn Lidberg and Bertha Olsen.