Dolores R. Fonda

Dolores R. Fonda, 91, of Rotterdam, passed away on December 1, 2023, at Kingsway Arms Nursing Home in Schenectady.  Born in Schenectady on March 14, 1932, Dolores is the daughter of the late Paul and Ruth (Johnson) Arbour.

Dolores sang beautifully and as a child was a weekly soloist on the radio show, The Children’s Hour.  A graduate of Draper High School, she was a cheerleader and loved music, dancing and roller skating. She played the piano and organ. As a teen, she was a contestant in the Miss Jones Beach beauty contest.

Married for 50 years, Dolores was the beloved wife of Donald H Fonda who passed away in 2000. Dolores was also predeceased by her brother, Ronald Arbour.

Dolores, who will always be cherished by her family, is survived by her daughter Linda Diago, son Richard Fonda(Carol), grandchildren, Lisa Henderson(Perry), Kate Diago(Julia), Michael Diago(Zoraida), Kristen Cuerdon(James), Erin SanFilippo(Israel) and her eight great-grandchildren Perry,  Jacob and Benjamin Henderson, Marcel and Naeem Diago, Paloma Diago Holmes, and Ian and Noah SanFilippo. Dolores is also survived by her sister Ruth Menia and several nieces and nephews.

Dolores devoted her life to making her home a haven of comfort and beauty for her family and was an extremely talented seamstress and quilter.  She was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church in Schenectady where she was a deaconess. In retirement, she and Don achieved their goal of visiting all 48 contiguous states in an RV and also traveled to Hawaii and Europe.

Dolores will be remembered for her loving and vivacious personality.

Funeral services for Dolores will be held on Saturday December 9, 2023 at 10:00am at First Presbyterian Church, 209 Union Street, Schenectady.

Contributions may be made in Dolores’s memory to The Alzheimer’s Association.