Dolores Rotolo,  March 11, 1942 – July 26, 2019

Benjamin Rotolo,  January 18, 1936 – July 30, 2024

Dolores (Bishop) Rotolo passed away at the end of July in 2019 after a fifteen-year struggle with an unforgiving, medically unidentified form of dementia.  Benjamin Rotolo passed away peacefully at the end of July in 2024.

Ben and Dolores did not know each other in their youth, but their experiences were similar. They were both born in Rochester, NY, surrounded by large, strong Catholic families. Dolores had one younger sibling, but her father was the youngest of twelve and Dolores had over fifty cousins. Ben grew up in an Italian immigrant family and was the second youngest of four siblings. They each attended Catholic elementary schools. They graduated from Catholic High Schools -- Dolores from the all-girls Our Lady of Mercy, and Ben from the then all-boys Aquinas High School.

As an adolescent. Dolores was quiet and enjoyed spending time inside. She took schoolwork seriously. Dolores was a voracious reader who enjoyed interacting with family and friends and playing board games. Ben found schoolwork easy, thanks to his near-photographic memory. This made it convenient for Ben to focus on his true interest: sports. Teenage (and adult) Ben was obsessed with football and food. He was a high school quarterback with dreams of becoming a professional athlete or a coach. Both Dolores and Ben remained strongly connected to their childhood friends. They made friends quickly and kept those friends for life.

Dolores graduated from SUNY Geneseo (BA); Ben graduated from SUNY Brockport (BA, MA). They each pursued careers in education. Ben held physical education and other teaching positions while he coached high school football (and wrestling, for a few years). Dolores taught elementary school. Her caring approach made her a favorite of students and their parents alike. The two met when Ben was a substitute physical education teacher at Dolores's school. Their first date was a hockey game. They were married in May 1966 and were henceforth rarely seen apart. Ben and Dolores had one son. The small family lived within walking distance from the shores of Lake Ontario. Ben coached football at Bishop Kearney High School. After Ben's recent passing, his players commented on the profound influence that Coach Rotolo continued to have on their lives.

The family of three moved to Phoenix, AZ to be closer to Ben's older brother and to escape the relentless Lake Ontario snow. Ben continued to coach high school football and Dolores was a teacher at a Catholic elementary school. Eventually they worked at the same public elementary school. Part of the attraction of teaching at the same school was that they loved making the lengthy car ride to work together. They did everything together, and for each other. Dolores was a big fan of ABBA. Although this was not Ben's favorite music, to put it mildly, he once surprised her with tickets to see the band. (Unsurprisingly, their other musical preferences were strongly aligned). They retired early and moved to Tucson, AZ.  Ben took up golf. Dolores started quilting and taught religious education. They made a trip to Italy to visit "Ben's homeland." They greatly enjoyed spending time with their friends and family, especially summers with their two granddaughters in Pullman.

As Dolores's condition worsened, they moved to Pullman. Ben developed close, supportive relationships with members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. When they were forced to live apart, Ben visited Dolores three times a day, every day, for over three years. Their relationship was strong, unique, and unyielding. A dual obituary is appropriate. It reflects two lives lived for each other and those around them, a reflection of the unselfish lives often led by life-long educators.  Dolores and Ben modeled altruism in the face of a culture that tends to emphasize the individual. They exemplified the importance of social relationships and caring for others.

Ben and Dolores were preceded in death by their grandson (Dominic) and Ben's four siblings. They are survived by their son (Thomas), daughter-in-law (Allison), two granddaughters (Anna and Josephine), and Dolores's sister (Monica). The family extends gratitude to Lorna Shompole and the staff of Glenhaven Adult Family Homes for the exceptional care of both Dolores and Ben in their later years.  Corbeill Funeral Home of Pullman, WA has been entrusted with arrangements.  Online condolences may be sent to www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com