Dolores M. "Dolly" Viglio Ponzi

YOUNGSTOWN - Dolores M. “Dolly” Viglio Ponzi, 84, passed away Saturday evening, Nov. 10, 2018, at Select Specialty Hospital in Boardman surrounded by her loving family.

Dolores was born May 23, 1934, in Youngstown, the daughter of the late Joseph and Helen Gonda Bucik, and was a lifelong area resident. She was a 1952 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School.

Dolly operated her own beauty shop for over 30 years, Dolly’s Beauty Salon, and she also worked for over 20 years for General Electric in Niles and in Youngstown, retiring in 1996.

As the center of her family, Dolly dedicated her life to her sons and to her grandchildren. She loved cooking and baking with “her boys” and passed down many recipes, including her pigs-in-a-blanket, her great lasagna, and her wedding soup, and everything she cooked was deemed delicious.

Besides her family, Dolly’s other passion was bowling. She was a terrific bowler and was inducted into the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame in 1993, on her 59th birthday, for her achievements in the sport.

Dolores started bowling during the 1959-60 bowling season at Rollaway Lanes and it was “love at first roll” as the game took hold of her, marking the beginning of many awards and achievements that she would accumulate over the years. She bowled in 10 different leagues and held offices in many of those leagues. In 1967, she won the BPAA Match Game Elimination and in 1968-69, she was a member of the team that won the Actual and Handicap Title in the Youngstown City Tournament, taking second-place in the city for high game (289) at the YWBA Awards Dinner.

During the 1971-72 season, Dolly’s 189 average was tops in the Youngstown Women's Bowling Association while she was awarded third-place honors in the city for highest set (692) at the YWBA Awards Dinner. In 1973-74, she was a member of the team that won the Actual Title in the Youngstown City Tournament while the following season (1974-75), her 710 set was tops in the city at the YWBA Awards Dinner.

In 1979, she was the St. Christine "Booster of the Year" while in 1981, she placed 10th in State All-Events (1,794) in Dayton. In 1980, she became involved in the Youngstown Women's Bowling Association, being elected a Director. In 1985, she was appointed Sargent at Arms with one of her proudest moments coming on Sept. 22 of that same year when she became the first Y.W.B.A. member to become a Certified Lane Inspector.

In 1987, she took fourth place in singles at the State Tournament in Youngstown, and was elected President of the YWBA that same year. She was active in the Youngstown Junior Bowling Association, and started coaching at Mar-Hill Lanes, which she did from 1981 to 1990. During that time, she served as Director, Second Vice-President (1982-84) and President (1985-89). She has also served as a delegate to the Ohio Women’s Bowling Association Convention on 10 separate occasions, and was a delegate to the WIBC National Convention six times.

Dolly was a member of St. Christine Church in Youngstown.

Dolores leaves her sons, Michael (Donna) Viglio of Youngstown, Bob Viglio of Youngstown, Ken (Doug Jenkins) Viglio of Fort Lauderdale, Tim (Shanay) Ponzi of Ellsworth, and Larry (Tina) Ponzi of Toledo; grandchildren, Malleri Viglio, Mike Viglio, Alex (Hannah) Viglio, Cheryl (Rob) Medina, Vince Viglio, Katie Viglio, Marissa Viglio, Tim (Kate) Ponzi, Allison Ponzi, Aiden Ponzi, Hudson Ponzi, and Emily Ponzi; great-grandchildren, Axel, Claire, Ethan, Robbie, Dominic, and Gianna; a great-great-granddaughter, Ariella; a sister, Lil (Paul) Sowder of E. Henderson, Nev.; a godson and nephew, David Sowder; and a close family friend, Mary Bartos (Anthony’s fiancé).

Her first husband, Mike J. Viglio, whom she married April 28, 1956, passed away in 1969. Her second husband, Louis D. Ponzi, Sr., whom she married Feb. 24, 1979, passed away in 2004. A son, Anthony Viglio, passed away July 21, 2018, and Anthony’s wife, Marie Streeky Viglio, passed away May 8, 2009.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Rd., Youngstown.

Services will begin at 9:15 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 15, at the funeral home, and will continue with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Christine Church, on South Schenley Avenue in Youngstown.

Interment will follow the Mass, and will be at St. John Cemetery in Coitsville.

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