Hilding, Dolores T.
Dolores Tondat Hilding died January 6, 2024 of old age at her home in Storrs. A native of Hartford CT, she was 97 years old. Daughter of Julius Peter Tondat and Domenica Cavallon Tondat Shulman she was a graduate of Bulkeley High School and received her BA from the University of Delaware in History in 1948 and an MA from the University of Connecticut in Education in 1972. Devoted wife of Winthrop E Hilding who predeceased her at age 98 in 2016, Dolores moved to Storrs with him in 1949. There they raised three children, built their home together, and became involved in their community. Raised a city girl, Dolores was nonetheless a naturalist at heart. She was a founding member of the Natchaug Ornithological Society and spent much of her adult life with binoculars in hand crossing fields and woods searching for birds, often as the sun rose. A Quaker in college, Dolores with her husband Winthrop, became founding members of Storrs Unitarian Fellowship and together they gave decades to keeping the fellowship running in every way. She was a member of the League of Women Voters and Joshua’s Trust and was active years ago as a World Federalist. Dolores was a loving mother and extraordinarily kind and attentive grandmother. After years at home with family, Dolores returned to the professional world as an academic counselor at UCONN, demonstrating the same respect and compassion for others that was a defining quality throughout her life. She kept on her wall a quote from Dag Hammerskjold: “If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, -- quieter, warmer” and lived by it.
As well as her husband Winthrop, Dolores was predeceased by her brother Julius Joseph Tondat and her nephew David Glenn Tondat. She leaves her daughters, Sherry Hilding of Storrs, Nancy Hilding (Dr. Steven Hata) of Rapid City South Dakota, Alison Hilding (Eugene Salorio) of Storrs, her grandchildren Dr. Sarah Hilding (Daniel Pilver ) of Mansfield Center, CT , David Salorio of Philadelphia, PA, Samuel Salorio of Windham, CT, Abraham Hilding Salorio (Sarah Dassouki) of Tolland, CT and Emmanuel Hilding Salorio (Larissa Marubayashi) of Queens, NY and her most beloved great grandchildren Caroline and Winthrop Pilver of Mansfield Center who brought her joy in her last years.
Dolores was fortunate to be cared for by exceptionally compassionate and skilled caregivers for whom the family is deeply grateful. Notable are Suzanne Curtis, Nataliya Vynar, Gina Millix, Carol Coburn, Mia Lucey, Erin Flavel, and Jennifer Goodwin.
Charitable donations in memory of Dolores may be made to the Winthrop and Dolores Hilding Endowed Scholarship of the UCONN Foundation or to Joshua’s Trust of Mansfield, CT. A memorial service will be held in the spring at a date to be announced. Funeral arrangements have been graciously handled by the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester, CT. To share a memory of Dolores or condolence message with her family, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com.