Dolores Molina Reisinger
Dolores Molina Reisinger
Cedar Rapids
Dolores Molina Reisinger, 93, passed away February 17, 2025, at Meth-Wick Community. A visitation will be held Monday, February 24, 9-10 a.m., at All Saints Catholic Church, 720 29th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, followed by a funeral mass, 10-11 a.m. Burial will take place at Cedar Memorial Cemetery, 4200 First Ave., Cedar Rapids at 1 p.m.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Reisinger, and her parents Dolores Munhoz and João Molina. Surviving relatives, all of Sao Paulo, Brazil, include her sisters Dirce Molina Munhoz and Vera Lucia Molina (Darcio Francisco) Marcilio; two nephews, Thiago Molina (Dainana Santana) Marcilio and Marcelo Molina (Rosana) Marcilio; a niece, Valeria Marcilio (Fernando) Triboni; five great-nieces and -nephews, Antonella Santana, Vitoria and Mariana Marcilio, and Bruno Marcilio and Fernanda Marcilio Triboni; a cousin she was particularly close to, Magali Munhoz; and several dear friends including Kathy Hall, who was with Dolores daily from the time she moved from her home to memory care at Meth-Wick.
Dolores was born February 5, 1932, and grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a loving family. She was six months old when her parents learned she was blind. They were determined Dolores grow up as a ‘normal’ person, capable of learning through her remaining senses, and above all, her mind. They allowed her to grow not only physically but mentally, emotionally and intellectually.
Dolores attended a special Catholic school for blind children, run by the sisters of St. Vincent de Paul. After elementary and secondary school, she attended Sao Paulo State University, earning a Master of History degree. She taught in Brazil until 1968, when she was invited by the US State Department and the International Federation of the Blind to visit America for a two-month exchange program. The purpose of the trip was to observe schools and rehabilitation centers for blind Americans.
During her trip to America, Dolores met her future husband, Jack. They were married March 8, 1969, after Dolores decided to leave her home country and permanently move to the United States. At the time, Brazil was experiencing political and military oppression; there was no freedom of press, no freedom of speech, public meetings were not allowed, and citizens were not allowed to voice their opinions.
Once in the US, Dolores learned her Brazilian degree was not recognized, so she went back to school. She earned a teaching certificate and Master of Spanish degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She spent the next several years teaching Spanish at Columbus High School in Waterloo.
In 1976, Dolores went to work for the Iowa Department for the Blind as a vocational rehabilitation teacher, serving 11 counties. For more than 18 years, she worked with blind individuals, teaching them the skills they needed to help them live independently. She also helped them understand that blind persons, given an opportunity, can overcome what she called the ‘inconvenience’ of loss of sight. She adamantly taught and believed the real problem of blindness is misunderstanding and lack of information, quite often caused by public attitudes, misconceptions and social prejudices.
After retirement, Dolores volunteered as a member of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission. During that time, she received the first of many signed proclamations by the mayor of Cedar Rapids for “White Cane Safety Day” each October 15. She also served on the Linn County “Help America Vote Act” task force, which looked at election systems to ensure accessibility for individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
Additionally, Dolores taught English as a Second Language and Portuguese classes at Kirkwood Community College. She often spoke in front of groups about blindness and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Every October, during Meet the Blind Month, she actively pursued opportunities to educate the community about blindness, including handing out literature at public libraries, presenting in classrooms, and demonstrating her Braille typewriter.
Above all, Dolores was devoted to her Catholic faith. She was a longtime member of All Saints parish. She never missed a mass and treated every Sunday like a special occasion, arranging a lunch date with a friend every week. At All Saints, she enjoyed lecturing, knitting with the shawl ministry, and loved to attend and help with church activities like decorating for Christmas, packing meals for Take Away Hunger and partaking in potlucks and celebrations.
Everyone who knew Dolores could easily recognize her determination. She was a strong person who was never defeated. She enriched the lives of a great number of people and will be loved and missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the National Federation of the Blind or All Saints Catholic Church. Tributes or memorial messages may be left for the family and friends of Dolores at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.