Dolores Moellers
d. March 16, 2020
Dolores Moellers
SELFLESS (adj) - Concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish.
If there were a photo next to the definition of selfless, it would be of Dolores Grace Moellers, 85, of Little Rock, who died March 16, 2020 at Parkway Village Health Center, surrounded by her family.
She was born in Fort Smith, the youngest of seven children to the late Sarino and Ouida Caldarera Lovoi on September 11, 1934. She was raised in this loving home of Italian heritage blocks from their parish, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She graduated high school from St. Anne's Academy in Fort Smith and, in keeping with her selfless heart, followed a career path in nursing, achieving her RN degree from St. Edward School of Nursing in Fort Smith.
On March 2, 1957, she married the love of her life, Robert L. (Bob) Moellers at the same Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she was baptized, received first reconciliation and first communion and was confirmed. She always said it was the starched white nurse's uniform that caught the eye of Bobbie Moellers, and "he never stood a chance." The selfless heart beat strongly as she and Bob welcomed their nine children -- six daughters and three sons. They moved with Bob's work to several locations in Arkansas - Russellville, El Dorado, Fort Smith and Pine Bluff - and in their final years, they moved to Little Rock to be close to family. Bob died in 2017, shortly after the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
An expert at stretching the dollar - she canned 300 quarts of tomato puree each year and helped harvest a nearly half-acre garden-- she was also was an excellent cook. The spaghetti suga simmering every Sunday while the family attended Mass could be smelled down the block and was used in all the authentic Italian dishes handed down from her parents - complete with meatballs and home-made noodles. She made hearty meals and wonderful desserts and cookies from scratch which never seemed to last very long among the children. The various treats on her Christmas trays - iced shortbread, bourbon balls, cuccidati (Italian fig cookie), peanut brittle - were time-worn recipes that her children now also make and deliver as gifts. She sewed many of the daughters' dresses for Easter, proms and weddings. She also made Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for each of her 32 grandchildren, along with other dolls, blankets and pillows.
After raising their children, Dolores and Bob had time to travel, not only to be with family, but to take special vacations to Hawaii and Italy, as well as the many car trips around the United States. She also loved to be outdoors, whether it be golfing, fishing, tending her Mary flower garden or burning leaves in the Fall. Indoor activities included puzzles of all kinds - Sudoku, crosswords, jigsaw -- and she especially loved watching the Arkansas Razorbacks play on TV and "Calling the Hogs," even when they weren't very good! Her love of dominoes led to adult daughters from Little Rock starting a standing dominoes game every Thursday at Parkway Village for the last three years. She also enjoyed the occasional visit to the casino (wink, wink).
Her selfless heart was most evident in her Catholic faith. She was a lector and Eucharistic minister and provided communion to the homebound, particularly at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pine Bluff, where she and Bob were active parishioners for nearly 35 years. She was instrumental in the church's annual fund-raising spaghetti supper and provided loving care of the linens as a member of the Altar Society, and she also served on the parish council. She continued to live her faith by example in her loving concern for others at Parkway Village Health Center, where she and Bob spent their last years. Recently, as her health prevented her from physically attending Sunday Mass, she reverently watched services on TV with her children and received communion weekly as a homebound parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church in Little Rock.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she is predeceased by five of her siblings, Paul Lovoi, Antoinette Lovoi Hindman, Vincent Lovoi, Augustina Lovoi and Salvatore Lovoi; and a grandchild, Brittney Hampton.
She is survived by her nine children, in birth order: Cyndi (Tony) Farnam of West Fork; Mary Beth (Jeff) Gramlich of Little Rock; Michelle (Rick) Self of Hurst, Texas; Laura (Pete) Thompson of Powderly, Texas; Patti (Jim) Drake of Little Rock; Robert (Diane) Moellers of Little Rock; John (Serina) Moellers of Jefferson City, Missouri; Becky (Tim) Ridgeway of Little Rock; and Rich (Natalie) Moellers of Morrilton. Also surviving are 31 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren (with one on the way); her remaining sister, Mary Ann McMahon of Fort Smith, sister in-law, Sandra (Vincent) Lovoi; along with numerous extended family members, mostly in the Fort Smith area.
Due to mandatory restrictions related to the COVID-19 virus, all services will be limited to immediate family. A private rosary will begin at 1:00 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church of Little Rock, Bishop Francis I. Malone of the Diocese of Shreveport presiding, with Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, Rev. Tuyen Do and Rev. Jack Harris concelebrating. Inurnment will be at Christ the King Columbarium. The family intends to have a celebration of life Mass at a later date so that her numerous friends and family members can attend.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one's choice.
The family would like to thank the many people who supported and cared for Dolores in her last years, especially the staff at Parkway Village and Baptist Health Hospice.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Dolores' online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.
4000 N. Rodney Parham
Little Rock, AR, 72212
4000 N. Rodney Parham
Little Rock, AR, 72212
If there were a photo next to the definition of selfless, it would be of Dolores Grace Moellers, 85, of Little Rock, who died March 16, 2020 at Parkway Village Health Center, surrounded by her family.
She was born in Fort Smith, the youngest of seven children to the late Sarino and Ouida Caldarera Lovoi on September 11, 1934. She was raised in this loving home of Italian heritage blocks from their parish, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She graduated high school from St. Anne's Academy in Fort Smith and, in keeping with her selfless heart, followed a career path in nursing, achieving her RN degree from St. Edward School of Nursing in Fort Smith.
On March 2, 1957, she married the love of her life, Robert L. (Bob) Moellers at the same Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she was baptized, received first reconciliation and first communion and was confirmed. She always said it was the starched white nurse's uniform that caught the eye of Bobbie Moellers, and "he never stood a chance." The selfless heart beat strongly as she and Bob welcomed their nine children -- six daughters and three sons. They moved with Bob's work to several locations in Arkansas - Russellville, El Dorado, Fort Smith and Pine Bluff - and in their final years, they moved to Little Rock to be close to family. Bob died in 2017, shortly after the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
An expert at stretching the dollar - she canned 300 quarts of tomato puree each year and helped harvest a nearly half-acre garden-- she was also was an excellent cook. The spaghetti suga simmering every Sunday while the family attended Mass could be smelled down the block and was used in all the authentic Italian dishes handed down from her parents - complete with meatballs and home-made noodles. She made hearty meals and wonderful desserts and cookies from scratch which never seemed to last very long among the children. The various treats on her Christmas trays - iced shortbread, bourbon balls, cuccidati (Italian fig cookie), peanut brittle - were time-worn recipes that her children now also make and deliver as gifts. She sewed many of the daughters' dresses for Easter, proms and weddings. She also made Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for each of her 32 grandchildren, along with other dolls, blankets and pillows.
After raising their children, Dolores and Bob had time to travel, not only to be with family, but to take special vacations to Hawaii and Italy, as well as the many car trips around the United States. She also loved to be outdoors, whether it be golfing, fishing, tending her Mary flower garden or burning leaves in the Fall. Indoor activities included puzzles of all kinds - Sudoku, crosswords, jigsaw -- and she especially loved watching the Arkansas Razorbacks play on TV and "Calling the Hogs," even when they weren't very good! Her love of dominoes led to adult daughters from Little Rock starting a standing dominoes game every Thursday at Parkway Village for the last three years. She also enjoyed the occasional visit to the casino (wink, wink).
Her selfless heart was most evident in her Catholic faith. She was a lector and Eucharistic minister and provided communion to the homebound, particularly at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pine Bluff, where she and Bob were active parishioners for nearly 35 years. She was instrumental in the church's annual fund-raising spaghetti supper and provided loving care of the linens as a member of the Altar Society, and she also served on the parish council. She continued to live her faith by example in her loving concern for others at Parkway Village Health Center, where she and Bob spent their last years. Recently, as her health prevented her from physically attending Sunday Mass, she reverently watched services on TV with her children and received communion weekly as a homebound parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church in Little Rock.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she is predeceased by five of her siblings, Paul Lovoi, Antoinette Lovoi Hindman, Vincent Lovoi, Augustina Lovoi and Salvatore Lovoi; and a grandchild, Brittney Hampton.
She is survived by her nine children, in birth order: Cyndi (Tony) Farnam of West Fork; Mary Beth (Jeff) Gramlich of Little Rock; Michelle (Rick) Self of Hurst, Texas; Laura (Pete) Thompson of Powderly, Texas; Patti (Jim) Drake of Little Rock; Robert (Diane) Moellers of Little Rock; John (Serina) Moellers of Jefferson City, Missouri; Becky (Tim) Ridgeway of Little Rock; and Rich (Natalie) Moellers of Morrilton. Also surviving are 31 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren (with one on the way); her remaining sister, Mary Ann McMahon of Fort Smith, sister in-law, Sandra (Vincent) Lovoi; along with numerous extended family members, mostly in the Fort Smith area.
Due to mandatory restrictions related to the COVID-19 virus, all services will be limited to immediate family. A private rosary will begin at 1:00 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church of Little Rock, Bishop Francis I. Malone of the Diocese of Shreveport presiding, with Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, Rev. Tuyen Do and Rev. Jack Harris concelebrating. Inurnment will be at Christ the King Columbarium. The family intends to have a celebration of life Mass at a later date so that her numerous friends and family members can attend.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one's choice.
The family would like to thank the many people who supported and cared for Dolores in her last years, especially the staff at Parkway Village and Baptist Health Hospice.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Dolores' online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.
Rosary Service
MAR 21. 1:00 PM (CST)
Christ the King Catholic Church4000 N. Rodney Parham
Little Rock, AR, 72212
Funeral Mass
MAR 21. 2:00 PM (CST)
Christ the King Catholic Church4000 N. Rodney Parham
Little Rock, AR, 72212
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