Elsie Winifred Dolly Blaisdell , March 25, 1923 — September 14, 2018

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Elsie Winifred (Dolly) Blaisdell passed away peacefully in the early morning of September 14, 2018. She resided in the Wesley Health Care community in Saratoga Springs since she and Charlie moved from Florida In 1997. They wanted to be nearer family, especially their son Doug, and his wife Brenda, who were their constant companions.

Dolly, as she was known to family and friends, was born March 25, 1923 to Elsie and Dominic DeGennaro on Long Island, NY. She had three brothers, Eugene, Jack and twin Ken. Her future husband Charlie had a locker next to her brother Gene’s while they were both serving in the Marines.

Charlie saw a picture of Dolly and went home to NY with Gene to meet her. In February 1944, she took the train to California and married her Marine aviator in Laguna Beach. She was a live wire from NY; he was a quiet man from Maine.

They were married for almost 60 years. Sons Kenneth and Douglas, along with Doug’s wife, Brenda, granddaughters Kimberly and Shannon, and great-granddaughters Mackenzie, Abigail and Hazel survive her. She loved her large family and reveled in their lives.

She was beloved “Aunt Doll” to her brother’s children and their children, as well as to the neighborhood kids. Always quick to laugh, she had a most wonderful outlook on life, and always sought out the good in people and situations. She was a trusted confidant and mentor to the young women in the family, also passing along her famous cooking skills!

Dolly volunteered her time generously in the Wesley community. In Embury, she established a Veteran’s Recognition Breakfast which became a yearly event. It included a photo wall and veterans telling their stories.

She loved to paint. Her canvases are in her family’s and friend’s homes, they’ve hung in Wesley and have toured NY State. It’s hard to encapsulate a long, long life well lived.

We smile when we think of her. She will be interred with Charlie in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville, NY. A memorial service is planned for the spring.

The family wants to thank the Wesley staff who gave her such loving care as well as the staff at Compassionate Funeral Care. As she would say “It’s all Good”.

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