Dolores "Dee" Ann Vita - Obituary

olores (Dee) Ann Schwartz Vita, August 15, 1935 – November 5, 2023 Passed away peacefully on November 5, 2023. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, William “Bill” Vita, Jr. She is survived by her children: Joseph (Phyllis), Maria, and Theresa. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren, Nicholas, Frank, Aloysius, Mary (Greg), Joey, Kristina (Emil), and Sierra, and three great-grandchildren, Eliana, Damian, and Lukas, whom she dearly loved. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Joan, and her brothers, Aloysius (Venerable Aloysius Schwartz), and Louis “Lou” Schwartz, her sisters, Mary (John) Flanagan, Rose (Hubie) Herold, Margaret “Margie” (Ernie) Mercier. Dolores is also survived by her sister, Joan Baur, and many nieces and nephews. Born on August 15, 1935, to the late Louis and Cedelia Schwartz, Dolores attended Holy Name Elementary School, she graduated from Immaculate Conception High School. As a child, Dolores enjoyed time at Rosedale, the local park, where she discovered her basketball skills. From an early age, she was drawn into the life and work of her brother, Father Al, a missionary priest. After her first visit to his programs in Korea and the Philippines in 1989, she began writing journals about the overwhelming experience. In 2012, she published a book about Father Al, My Brother’s Witness. Dolores met Bill at a Knights of Columbus dance and they hit it off immediately. They shared their Catholic faith and enjoyed dancing. Bill and Dolores were married on May 21, 1955. They were richly blessed, greatly challenged, and have been surrounded by many friends over the years. As a young married couple, living in Riverdale, MD, and attending St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Dolores and Bill met their lifelong friends, Jack and Mary Healey. Dolores and Mary joined St. Bernard’s Sodality together. Through the sodality, Dolores made many friends, including Jane White and Ann Jemielity. As a stay-at-home Mom, Dolores was very active in the lives of her children and had a smooth-running home. Dolores always said that her calling was to be a mother. She truly loved being a Mom, Grandma, and Great Grandma. Dolores went back to work, working at the International Association of Fire Fighters and eventually, Plumbers and Pipefitters National Pension Fund. She was promoted to Administrative Assistant to the Director. She enjoyed this position and her excellent organizational skills were much appreciated. Dolores and her cousin, Dorothy Holbrook together were instrumental in the founding of the Prince George’s County chapter of NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill). Dolores was an excellent cook, learning many of the recipes of Mary (the housekeeper for her Father-in-law) including her famous spaghetti and meatballs and Christmas cookies. In 1995, Bill and Dolores moved to Heritage Harbour in Annapolis, MD. This move would prove to be one of the best decisions of their lives. They joined St. Mary’s Catholic Church/St. John Neumann Catholic Church. They were a fixture at the 4:30 p.m. Saturday evening Mass. For many years, Dolores attended daily Mass. Dolores was a Eucharistic Minister and took communion to patients at Anne Arundel Medical Center. They joined the bowling league and bowled together for years. While Bill enjoyed golfing, Dolores began line dancing, teaching for many years, and walking in the neighborhood. Her walks were so important to her, she prayed when she walked. They became lifelong friends with many neighbors. Through the years, Dolores sent greeting cards to family and friends. She was able to express herself with words extremely well, her cards touched the hearts of many. Throughout her life, Dolores had many achievements and roles, her most cherished roles were Wife and Mom. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Dolores’s life on Sunday, November 12, 2023, from 2 pm – 4 pm and 6 pm – 8 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD 21037. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, November 13, 2023, at 10:30 am at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401 followed by a reception at Seelos Hall. Interment Ft. Lincoln Cemetery 3401 Bladensburg Road, Brentwood, MD 20772. Per Dolores’s request, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: World Villages for Children, 4200 Parliament Place, #230, Lanham, MD 20706. worldvillages.org