Obituary of Dolores L. Giarrizzo

Albion: Dolores L. (Grzywacz) Giarrizzo, age 83, passed away on June 12, 2020. Dolores was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York on August 25, 1936 a daughter of the late Gizela (Kida) and Andrew Grzywacz. Dolores will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved her fur babies and at one time had four of them, but due to health reasons she had to cut back to two and then had to give the two up. On the recommendation of the late Norma DiLaura, Albion School Counselor, Dolores started her career at G.L.F., later known as Albion Agway while still a senior in High School in 1954. She was appointed Store Manager of the Albion Retail Store in 1979. Agway closed their Albion location and Dolores was then transferred to Knowlesville Agway as Chemical Department Manager. After 42 years of service, Agway closed their locations and Dolores retired. She considered her Agway customers as family and did business with three generations. She was lovingly known as the “Agway Lady”, and “Grandma D”, with her “Dee G” license plate. Everyone knew her car and knew where she was or was going. She then took her civil service test and was hired by the Orleans County Probation Office, and later transferred to the Orleans County Mental Health Department where she worked for 16 more years before retiring due to heart bypass surgery. Dolores was fun loving, enjoyed going shopping and to craft shows with her very best friend, Mary Lou McGaffick, who passed away in 2014. After retirement, Dolores volunteered at PAWS Animal Shelter, Hospice of Orleans and Office for the Aging. She was a member of St. Mary’s Church where she sang in the choir, the Catholic Daughters and former St. Mary’s Rosary Society. She enjoyed spending time with her granddaughters, Lisa and Jamie, and great-grandchildren, Brandon, Brady, Brylee and Joshua. Dolores was predeceased by the father of her children, Joseph, in August, 1992, brother, Thaddeus A. Grzywacz in 2000, and her dear friend and Agway Associate, Walter D. Pirong, in 2017. She is survived by her loving children, son and loving caretaker, Michael (Peggy Clement, loving caretaker), daughter, Diane (Joe) Argento, granddaughters, Lisa (Brian) Christiaansen, Jamie (Josh) Bennett, great-grandchildren, Brandon, Brady, and Brylee Christiaansen, and Joshua J. Bennett and her extended family, Cathy, Valerie, Howard, Jay, and Wally Pirong. Also surviving are her very dear sister, Helen (Edgar) Wilkins, sister-in-law, Edith (late Thaddeus A. Grzywacz), nephew, Thomas (Beata) Wilkins, niece, Sue (Jim) Colton, nephew, Casey (Stephanie Brown) Colton, Sarah (Sal) Muneer, very special niece, Tammy (John) Parada, Thaddeus (Nikkia) Grzywacz, brother-in-law, Chuck (Beverly) Giarrizzo, sister-in-law, Arlene (Butch) Bokman, as well as several other nieces and nephews. Please note that all guests upon entering the Funeral Home and Church are required to wear a face mask, use hand sanitizer and use social distancing. Thank you! The family will receive friends at the Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Inc. 21 West Ave. Albion, NY 14411 on Tuesday, June 16th from 4:00-7:00pm. Dolores’s Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Parish-St. Joseph’s Church, W. Park St. Albion, NY 14411 on Wednesday, June 17th at 10:00am. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Dolores’s name may be made to PAWS, 3371 Gaines Basin Rd. Albion, NY 14411 or the Churchville Lions Club PO Box 364, Churchville, NY 14428. To share a special memory of Dolores, please visit www.mitchellfamilyfuneralhomes.com.