Dolores Lienesch, 94, died on March 4, 2025, at her home comforted by William, her husband of 72 years.

Born in Pontiac, Michigan, the eldest of three children of Frank and Eunice Hamp. Growing up with her brother, Ronnie (deceased) and her sister Frances (deceased), she was an avid reader, and film and stage aficionado, spending many weekends with her siblings in tow, at the library or cinema.

She attended Southern Illinois University, where she studied English Literature, Spanish, Portuguese, and Education, she was involved in the Saluki yearbook, campus leadership. She was a nominee for Miss Southern and met her husband, Bill, through mutual friends at SIU. She was awarded most valuable student for her work as president of her sorority and Student Council leadership over her tenure at Southern.

They married upon graduation in July 1952 and moved to St. Louis to pursue careers. Dolores was a middle school teacher, and they later moved to Harrisburg, IL to become high school teachers and be closer to Dolores' family. She received her master's degree from SIU during the early 1960s and later became chairman of the English department and director of the yearbook. She passionately taught the importance of literature, creative writing and literary analysis to decades of students, winning awards for the school's yearbook. Known for her tough critiques and frequent Shakespeare references, she left lasting impressions on her colleagues, friends, and students.

After retiring she continued to read avidly, enjoyed her love of gardening, and grew passionate about growing orchids, becoming involved in multiple orchid societies, traveling for meetings and exhibits, showing orchids, gathering awards and even developing her own prize-winning hybrid phalaenopsis.

After a short time living in Dallas, she and Bill moved to the Chicago area to be closer to their grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, Bill, her daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Ron Cramer, and her grandchildren, Katherine (Rae) and Madison.

Throughout her life, family vacations were always centered around exploring National Parks and the beauty of nature. She loved her outdoor spaces and spent hours gardening, creating new flower projects for Bill, and nurtured her flowers and trees. A long-time supporter of environmental and wildlife protection organizations, she was committed to our personal responsibility to protect nature.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Natural Resources Defense Council Donations will be used to fight climate change, defend wildlife and public lands, and for other campaigns that allow NRDC to protect the environment in the most effective way possible. https://action.nrdc.org/donation/3466-tribute-gift-nrdc