Dolores Wathey

Dolores (Arvay) Wathey, age 90, passed away peacefully at home on April 22, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and cherished friends. Born July 8, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Arvay. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Ed Arvay, and her beloved husband, Benjamin Wathey Jr., whom she married in 1960.

Dolores graduated from Barberton High School in 1953 and went on to attend beauty school, where she was taught by her aunt, Evajean Arvay. With an entrepreneurial spirit well ahead of her time, she opened Dolores’s Beauty Salon in Doylestown shortly after completing her training—an accomplishment that reflected her independence, talent, and determination.

For many decades, Dolores enjoyed bowling and remained active in her league until the age of 85, sharing laughter and friendship with her teammates, affectionately known as “The Gambling Girls.” Speaking of gambling, she also loved the thrill of slot machines and the simple joy of scratching off lottery tickets in her later years.

A devoted member of St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Norton since 1969, Dolores lived her faith quietly and consistently, grounded in family, community, and gratitude.

She is survived by her children Linda Ashcraft, Ben (Debbie) Wathey, and Joe (Erica) Wathey; grandchildren Brandon Wathey and Todd Ashcraft; greatgrandson Walter Wathey and beloved nieces and nephews. She will be remembered for her strength, humor, generosity, and the deep love she held for her family.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Crossroads Hospice and especially to her caregivers—Samantha, Florence, Misty, Makaylee, Audrey and Dawn—whose compassion and dedication granted Dolores her final wish: to go “from home to Heaven.”

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 4022 Johnson Rd., Norton. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery. Calling Hours Monday from 5-7 p.m. at the Silva-Hostetler Funeral Home, 1199 Wooster Rd. West, Barberton. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.