Obituary

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Delores Jean Cibula Daniel at the age of 88 years on December 30, 2024, in Chesterfield, Virginia from sepsis and Alzheimer’s disease. She was a lifelong resident of Prince George County until placement in memory care.

Delores was born October 7, 1936, and was preceded in death by her husband and soul mate Robert L. (Boone) Daniel, parents John E. and Helen H. Cibula, siblings Evelyn Cibula Minor and Catherine Cibula Hall and nephew Robert “Lee” Minor.  She is survived by her daughters Karen K. Shriver and Sharon K. Pilarinos, her brother John S. Cibula, and nieces Barbara Minor Bright, husband Wayne Bright, Pamela Hall Haisten, her husband Al Haisten, Jean Hall O’Brien and nephew Andrew Hall and his wife Sarah.

Delores was a devout cradle Catholic adhering to all holy days of obligation and was a longtime member of Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in Hopewell and more recently with the Church of the Sacred Heart at New Bohemia in Prince George. She assisted with the cleaning at Saint James, serving as a eucharistic minister and a member of the choir.

Believing in the importance of education, Delores acquired her GED to advance her career opportunities at Allied Chemical, now Honeywell International, and instilled this belief in her daughters, who acquired college degrees.

She retired from Honeywell International after nearly four decades from the fibers division in Chesterfield as a quality control laboratory technician. Copious amounts of overtime hours paved the way for a comfortable retirement, allowing for extensive travel and prolonged medical care.

In retirement, Delores and Boone journeyed through the forty-eight contiguous states exploring the Lewis and Clark Trail, her beloved southwest, the Gulf states and a shared admiration for New England. Their interest in history also led them down many paths within the commonwealth of Virginia.

Their favorite destination, however, was Mesa, Arizona every February-April, where they would visit the Chicago Cubs training camp. This 17-year pilgrimage would reunite them with other kindred spirits from the Midwest and New England at a favored hotel where they enjoyed pool-side fun, local jaunts and a hope for a crack at a pennant or World Series title later in the season. Delores mastered the art of baseball scorekeeping and followed her beloved Cubs throughout their regular season.

Delores’ greatest pride, however, was the care and support of her family. She diligently nurtured her children, gave enduring love to her husband, and tended to her mother and father at the end of their lives.  Delores was supportive of her siblings, traveling with them to various locales on the East Coast.

Scores of pets intertwined her and Boone’s life, dachshunds: Schnapps, Heidi and Ginger, feral cats: Tom Sawyer, Jake and Meow-Meow. Seasonal birds, who flocked to enjoy the placement of feeders and suet holders, replete with an umbrella to protect them from the elements, were also endearing to them.

Her love of music was eclectic as she was an early fan of Elvis Presley, the Platters, Fats Domino, Bill Deal and the Rhondels , Ray Charles and  Bobby Darin. On the other hand, she loved tunes from Broadway musicals, Polkas, John Denver and Frank Sinatra.

Delores was proud of her Czech and Slovak heritage: she supported the Prince George County Regional Heritage Center and attended their annual Virginia Czech & Slovak Folklife Festival.

Throughout her life, she was an avid photographer, detailing her children’s progress, vacation destinations or just ordinary life. In the 1980s, she studied at the Bob Hutchison Studio in Richmond to learn lighting and portraiture. She also invested in the entire Time-Life photography series of books.

Delores loved being outdoors, spending time planting flowers, shrubbery, vegetables and fruits. She canned her summer harvests, prepared jellies and embraced Cooking Light to create healthier versions of beloved comfort foods. Handmade fruitcakes, cookies and cakes adorned the tables for holidays and other celebrations.

Later in life, Delores discovered watercolors, and this creative outlet allowed her to use color in more expressive ways while incorporating landscapes, animals or still life.

In our hearts you will always stay, loved and remembered every day. Your legacy lives on in the love and values you instilled in us.

The family would like to thank nurse Brenda Bennett for her dedicated and respectful care to Delores as well as Brighter Living Assisted Living memory care aides Michelle and Dakota. Acknowledgement is also granted to Crater Community Hospice for their assistance in her end-of-life care. A special thanks to Fr. Marlon of Church of the Sacred Heart at New Bohemia for performing the Sacraments: Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites to Delores.

Memorial services will be held January 18, 2025, at Church of the Sacred Heart, 9300 Community Ln, South Prince George, Va 23805, beginning with visitation in the Church Commons at 11 a.m., a Funeral Mass at 12 noon and a reception at 1 p.m. in the Parish Center.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Prince George Animal Shelter or Crater Community Hospice in her name.