Dolores J. Benjamin, 94, a resident of Lutheran Hillside Village in Peoria, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 15, 2025, after several years of ill health.
Dolores was born on June 19, 1930, to Milton "Mike" and Helen Manuel in Peoria, Illinois.
She was of Serbian, Italian, and Polish ancestry. As a child, Dolores' resemblance to Shirley Temple and her talent for dancing and showmanship brought her some local fame in the 1930s. On more than one occasion, she was offered the opportunity to pursue dancing as a career, but she opted for a more traditional life instead.
Dolores was a graduate of Manual High School and Bradley University, where she excelled in her studies. She met her husband, Hollis, at Bradley University where he earned his Bachelor's degree before attending law school at the University of Illinois in Urbana. They married in 1952 and lived in Santa Barbara, California and Olympia, Washington before returning to live in Peoria. For a few years, Dolores worked tirel

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