Dolores Estella Puican

Dolores Estella Puican (née Leaman), 82, of Akron, passed away on Friday, January 4, 2013, of complications resulting from Alzheimer's.

Born to Reformed Mennonite parents, she and her brothers and sister grew up in their family home in Waynesboro, Pa. She met Mike Puican, her husband of 62 years, in high school. However, the two waited to get married until after Dolores had received her RN (Registered Nurse) degree. Dolores and Mike were married in 1950 and settled in Mechanicsburg, Pa., after their first child was born. In the four years that followed their other four children were born, one each year.

Although Dolores postponed her nursing career to raise her family, she was well known for her medical triage skills. Neighbors frequently knocked on her door whenever there were medical emergencies or when medical advice was needed. Once all of her children were in school, Dolores went to work at Seidel Memorial Hospital where she rose to the level of nursing supervisor.

In 1970, the family moved to Akron, Ohio, where Mike and Dolores lived for the rest of their lives. In Akron, Dolores worked as an RN at Sumner Home (later The Merriman) and as nursing supervisor at the Village at St. Edwards until she retired in 1994.

Throughout her life, Dolores demonstrated a deep compassion for the sick, a warm hospitality toward her neighbors, and a fierce devotion to her family. Despite having Alzheimer's, Dolores maintained a cheery demeanor to the end. A testimony to this is the plaque at the Merriman that describes Dolores and Mike as "bringers of sunshine."

Her husband Mike preceded her in death in April, 2012. She is survived by her brother, Paul; sister, Shirley; daughters, Kath Shuster (Earle) and Patti Kagafas (Jim); sons, Mike (Mary Hawley), Steve (Bridgette Turner) and József; and grandchildren, Kelli Shuster, Mike Kagafas, Page Kagafas, Susann Puican, and Nadia Miecznikowski.

The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the staff and management of The Merriman for their love and care.

Memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, January 12, at Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., Akron. Friends and family may visit from 3 p.m. until service time on Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Merriman Good Life Foundation at www.TMGLFoundation.org .