Delores M. Sobczak, 1934-2011: Ex-Blade secretary became V.P. at ad circular

2/26/2011

Delores M. Sobczak, a former secretary and executive assistant at The Blade who became a manager at the publisher of a local advertising circular, died Tuesday of respiratory failure in her Maumee home. She was 76.

Mrs. Sobczak joined The Blade's management offices in 1955 and worked there until 1967, when she left to have her first child.

She was a skilled stenographer who learned her way around the newspaper's business office, and her experiences there enabled her to land a job with the Key Shoppers News when it was started in 1972 in Swanton, her son Richard Sobczak said.

Mrs. Sobczak was hired as vice president and retired 37 years later as vice president/manager, her son said.

Another son, Edward Sobczak, said her job included the range of responsibilities in the production and distribution of the publication, which is distributed free.

Mrs. Sobczak grew up in Springfield Township and graduated from the former Holland High School. She was the older of Verna and Leopold Mierczynski's two children.

She was of Polish heritage through both parents, and was skilled at preparing traditional Polish and Polish-American dishes. Holidays always included kielbasa and pierogi, her sons said.

She also catered on the side and prepared these dishes for wedding receptions and other functions at the Holland American Legion Post 646.

Mrs. Sobczak and her husband, Donald, who was "Jack" to friends and family, were married for 51 years, until his death in December, 2005.

He was a Coast Guard veteran, and through him she developed a long, fond relationship with the Holland Legion post's women's auxiliary, of which she was a past president.

She also was a skilled bowler who competed in local and national tournaments.

Surviving are her sons, Richard and Edward; brother, Clifford, and two grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the Neville Funeral Home Southwest Chapel, Holland.

The family suggests memorial tributes to the Gifts for the Yanks Program, care of Holland American Legion Post 646, P.O. Box 171, Holland, Ohio, 43528.