Delores Rita Short, 89, passed away peacefully with family by her side on December 24, 2019 in Ventura, California after a brief illness. Delores now starts her new journey with the Heavenly Father on the other side of the veil.
Delores was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 26, 1930 to immigrants Emily Grochowski and Joseph Szyjakowski, who arrived in the USA in 1922 from Poland. Delores was so many things to so many people and known simply as ‘Mom’. She will be greatly missed.
Delores was a devout Catholic who loved and lived the gospel of the church. Delores was a caring, loving person who at times cared more about others than herself. In her younger years, she helped numerous young Polish Immigrants transition into the United States and become U.S Citizens.
Delores loved to golf, bowl, camp, surf, and was an accomplished hula dancer, even taking to the floor on her 80th Birthday to show us all how it was done. Delores enjoyed the relaxing meditative beauty of the ocean and spent many hours walking the shoreline, greeting everyone she met with a smile. In her later years, she loved spending time at Pt. Mugu checking the surf, a special place in her heart for spirituality and solace.
Delores married Leroy A. Short in 1951, who was serving in the US Navy. Together they traveled coast to coast and eventually landed in Hawaii. She held down the fort with their two small boys while LeRoy was overseas. Delores was Office Manager at Citru-Cool, Inc in Ventura from 1979 to 1985. After leaving Citru-Cool, she worked for the Department of the Navy at the Personal Property Office on the CBC Base, Port Hueneme receiving many awards and accolades for her service. In 1988, she was nominated for the KBBY radio station ‘Super Secretary’ award by her coworkers for her ‘Effervescent personality, problem solving abilities, patience of Job, and the energy of a nuclear power plant!’
Delores is survived by her 2 children, Kenneth Michael Short (Deborah) of Oak View, CA , Russell Short of Marina Del Rey, CA, five grandchildren: Christopher and Jeremy Short of Oak View CA, Ashley (Eddie) Greenwald of San Clemente CA, Tyler Short of Lake Stevens WA, and Austin Short of Elk Ridge UT, and five great grandchildren, Mara, Taj, Bodhi, and Rue Rue Greenwald of San Clemente, CA and Penny Short of Lake Stevens, WA.
She is preceded in death by her 7 brothers and sisters. Helen, Mary, Billy, Sophie, Myra, Eddie, and Frankie.
Funeral services will be held at Sacred Heart Church on January 18, 2019 at 10 AM, Father Daniel O’Sullivan officiating, followed by a Celebration of Life from 12-4 at Poinsettia Pavilion.
Arrangements are under the direction of Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 757 E. Main Street, Ventura.