Dolores (Ziolkowski) Doyle, 77, of Milton passed away February 2, 2025.

Dolores was born and raised in South Boston to the late Matthew and Bernice (Kordaszewski) Ziolkowski. She attended St Mary’s Grammar School and Nazareth High School. She went to Boston State College and graduated in 1969 with a degree in elementary education. She worked in many schools in the Boston Public Schools but spent the majority of her career at the Condon School in South Boston.

Although Dolores enjoyed teaching, her true passion was the arts. She loved performing, painting and learning languages. From a young age she did tap and ballet. Her mother made her costumes and was so proud to see her daughter in the lead roles. As she got older, she was the majorette in the St Mary’s Drum and Bugle Corp. She loved leading the band through the streets of Southie in many parades and celebrations. She took art classes and proudly displayed her water color portraits in her home. When she was in high school she received the top Latin scholar award. Throughout her life she studied French, Russian and Polish languages.

Dolores embraced learning about cultures and was particularly proud of her Polish American heritage. She enjoyed learning the language and dances of her grandparents and loved sharing how they came from Poland to follow the American dream. After she married her Irish American husband, she embraced his culture and the two of them took Irish set dancing lessons. She loved anything related to dancing.

Dolores was kind and gentle and always willing to lend a helping hand. She would donate food to local shelters or help others in need. One of her strongest personality traits, however, was that she hated having waste go into landfills. She was way before her time in that she wanted everything to be composted, recycled or donated. She would try to give away old books or clothes because she felt like everything could be repurposed. Many people joked that she had the cleanest trash in her town because she would wash out cold cut bags or recycle the plastic that was on envelope windows. She truly wished for a better earth and felt like she had to do her part to make it better.

Dolores was a lifelong learner and was always educating herself about culture, the environment and just ways to be a better person. She had a strong faith and she relied on this later in life when she had health issues. She truly thought Jesus would save her during those times and he did. She had many setbacks, but she had the strength to keep going. She will be remembered for her patient and humble demeanor. She will be missed by so many.

Dolores was the beloved wife of the late of John Doyle. Loving mother of Joanne Doyle Petrongolo and her husband Carlo Petrongolo of Quincy. Cherished grandmother to John Carlo Petrongolo and Olivia Petrongolo. Cherished sister of the late Stephen Ziolkowski and Fr Adam Ziolkowski. Sister-in-law to Mary Call, Lillian Doyle, Marion Ziolkowski and the late Joseph T. Doyle, and the late Kenneth Call. Lifelong friend to Theresa Pijanowski and Bette Huber. Loved by many nieces, nephews and cousins from all around the world.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Agatha Church, Adams Street at Brook Road, Monday February 10th at 10:30 AM. Relatives and friends invited. Visitation at Dolan Funeral Home, 460 Granite Avenue, EAST MILTON SQUARE prior to the mass from 8:30-10 AM. Burial Milton Cemetery

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dolores memory may be made to:

Fr Bill’s Place, https://helpfbms.org/donate/

South Boston Boys and Girls Club www.bgcb.org/find-your-club/edgerley-family-south-boston-club/

or Dove Inc www.dovema.org/donate