Dolores Moss

Dolores Joan Moss (née Alsko) of Boscawen died on January 16, 2022, at the age of 86, after a sudden decline. She passed away peacefully at home with family by her side.

“Dolly,” as she was affectionately known to all, was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town in the greater Pittsburg region, on May 10, 1935, to Elizabeth Anne Jacobs (Alsko). Elizabeth was the eldest of the eight children of Pete and Helen Alsko (née Ilikas), immigrants from Poland and Lithuania. Elizabeth’s siblings were Katherine Rose, Julia Ann (“Jay”), John, Pete, Lucille (“Lou”), William (“Bill”), and Andrew Alexander (“Andy”). Elizabeth passed away in 1965. Dolly’s grandfather and uncles worked in the mines, and Dolly’s aunts took turns going to school because there weren’t enough shoes to go around. Dolly was raised by her aunts Lou and Jay.

Despite being a child of the Great Depression and having a difficult and lonely childhood, Dolly was cheerful, upbeat, and kind to everyone around her, and managed to excel in school and learn not only to take care of herself but others as well. She adored babies and children and was crazy about her Aunt Lou’s little ones and loved to be around them. In high school, she formed a lifelong bond with her dear friend Jessie DeFalco (née Myriallakis) that continued to this day. Skilled at everything she put her hand to, Dolly got a good job out of high school as a telephone operator, and then later worked as an executive secretary.

During the Korean War, Dolly’s Uncle Bill Alsko introduced her to his buddy who was in the navy with him, Frederick Lawrence Moss III. Dolly and Fred fell head-over-heels. Fred took Dolly to New Hampshire to meet his parents and there she saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. She was enthralled, and, from that moment on, her favorite places were the ocean and lighthouses. She loved to sit on the beach or on the rocks by the Nubble lighthouse at Cape Neddick in York, Maine.

Fred and Dolly were married on August 12, 1956, at Trinity Church in Washington, Pennsylvania, by Reverend Robert B. Muhl, and enjoyed the next 64 years together, until Fred’s passing in July of 2020.

Dolly and Fred had three children and two grandchildren. Dolly’s love for babies and children showed in everything she did as a mom and grandmother. She taught her kids reading, writing and math skills before they even went to first grade. She was always ready with a fun activity, a book, a song, a joke, or a comforting word. She meticulously planned holidays and made them full of love, food, and fun for everyone. She was a Cub Scouts den mother and 4H club leader, and was always there for her kids and grandkids in every way that she could be.

Dolly was a successful entrepreneur selling Dutchmaid clothing, and later worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the National Agricultural Statistic Service as a statistical assistant. During both endeavors, Dolly made many, many wonderful friends through her caring and loving nature, and was the fun office grandma to all of her co-workers’ kids.

Dolly is survived by her son Frederick Lawrence "Max" Moss IV and his wife Zee Marie, both of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter Lucia (Moss) Ishii, her husband Yasuhiko Ishii and their daughter (Dolly's granddaughter) Alyssa Ishii, all of Boscawen, New Hampshire; son Royce Moss, his wife Brittney (Reardon) Moss and their son (Dolly's grandson) Connor Moss, all of Franklin, New Hampshire; her treasured sister Joanie Hurt (née Cupler) and her husband Jerry Hurt, both of High Springs, Florida, and many nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces. Beloved by all who knew her, she will be greatly, greatly missed.

Because of COVID-19, there will be no funeral services or visitation, but there will be a brief internment ceremony at the Veterans Cemetery at 110 Daniel Webster Hwy Boscawen, NH, on a date in the spring to be determined later. Friends and family will be welcome.
In lieu of flowers, and to honor Dolly’s great love of children of all ages, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.