Dolores D. Wedlan
Dolores Dawn Wedlan, of Mission Hills, Kansas, peacefully passed away of natural causes on Sept. 16 at the age of 96. Dolores Oswald was born in the small town of New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1924, part of the third generation of immigrants from Scandinavia and Germany. Her mother, Mabel, and her father, Emanuel, adored their only child and raised her to be independent, resourceful and strong.
As valedictorian of her high school class, she was awarded a full scholarship to attend Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she majored in economics. Upon receiving her degree with honors, she accepted a job offer from TWA to train as an airline hostess to fulfill her dream of seeing the world. For seven years, she was based out of Kansas City, where she met the love of her life, Hanan Wedlan, to whom she was married for 41 years before his passing in 1994. He was captivated by her elegance, beauty, intelligence and her charm. Her smile and laughter could light up a room. With her outgoing personality, she enjoyed meeting new people and learning about their lives.
Prior to her marriage, Dolores, affectionately known as D.D., converted to Judaism under the tutelage of Rabbi Gershon Hadas of Beth Shalom and took the Hebrew name, Sarah. As an only child, she wanted to have many children and quickly gave birth to four children in five years.
Together, D.D. and Hanan raised their children while building the family warehousing and trucking businesses. She prided herself in being a homemaker and mother. Dolores had dinner on the table every night, and there was no one who could make a tastier brisket or moister bundt cake for the holidays or fried chicken and real mashed potatoes for Shabbat dinner. She was devoted to her children’s education and did everything to help them succeed in life.
She fulfilled her dream to travel around the world. She and Hanan loved to explore new places, learning about each destination’s history, art and architecture. Among her favorite places to visit were Kashmir, China, Denmark, London and Paris.
Dolores was an avid bowler in the B’nai B’rith women’s league, played team tennis at the club and was an ace bridge player. In her 70s and 80s, neighbors would see D.D. on her daily walks in the neighborhood. D.D. was hard to miss with her erect posture, fair hair and elegantly coiffed “bun.”
She started a scholarship fund at Carleton College for students who majored in economics to study abroad. She did not let her economic and mathematic skills go to waste as she was a daily reader of the Wall Street Journal and liked to direct her own investments.
Dolores was a big sports fan and was a loyal K.C. Chiefs fan attending most of their home games for over 50 years and their first Super Bowl in 1970 in New Orleans. D.D. also loved watching the K.C. Royals play and attended her last game at the age of 95.
She lived a long and fruitful life filled with the love of family and home. Dolores was preceded in death by her husband Hanan and by her parents. She is survived by her four children, Elizabeth Wedlan (Peter Braffman) of New York, Steven Wedlan of Kansas City, Susan Wedlan (Harold Rosen) of Washington, DC, and David Wedlan of Kansas City; her six grandchildren, Samantha, Zachary, William Braffman and Max Rosen (Elizabeth), Rachel DeLong (Chase), Rebecca Rosen; and her three great-grandchildren, Theodore and Palmer Rosen and Rose DeLong.
A private funeral and burial were held at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Donations may be made in her memory to a charity of choice.
Online condolences may be shared at louismemorialchapel.com.
Arrangements by The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211.