Dolores Vera Yetka (nee Smith) was born on April 5th, 1936, to Anna and Alfred Smith of Jersey City, NJ. She was the youngest of three, with two older brothers Frank and Hubert. As you would expect from older brothers, they called her Sissy.
Dolores met George Arthur Yetka when they were teenagers growing up in Jersey City. Even though George was “going with a lot of girls” back then, Dolores was his sweetheart for life. She became Dolores Vera Yetka when the two were married June 18th, 1955, just weeks after her 19th birthday. Not long after, their family of two grew and grew as their nine children were born. Now Dolores was Mom, and so much more!
With the family growing and in need of space, George and Dolores purchased an old farmhouse in Middletown, NJ. The work and effort to improve and return the house to its former glory was no small feat. Stories of Dolores stripping wallpaper and burning lead paint off the original crown molding are legendary in the Yetka family. What remained after those years of work is not just a house, but a beautiful home to this day.
With nine children comes an endless need for food, clothing, and entertainment. Mom cooked, sewed outfits, and played and sang the richest music into her children’s lives. This was more than a household, but a haven, not only to the children, but to the dozens of friends that were welcomed in without hesitation.