Dolores Talley

Native Staten Islander Dolores A. Talley, 76, of Flagstaff, Ariz., a virtuoso pianist and church organist and a teacher who shared her passion for music with her students, died Oct. 25 in Flagstaff Medical Center.



She was born Dolores Woodland in Stapleton, and moved to New Dorp in the 1950s. She relocated to Maryland in 1972 and to Pennsylvania in 1974 before returning to the Island in 1978, moving to Pleasant Plains. She lived there until 2010, when she settled in Flagstaff.

Known for instilling a continuing love of music in her students, Mrs. Talley taught music at a number of Catholic grammar schools on Staten Island, including St. John Villa Academy, St. Joseph Hill Academy, St. Joseph-St. Thomas School, St. Charles School and Our Lady of Good Counsel School.

She directed countless annual musical shows at the schools, making sure that all students had a part to play. Some of her students went on to professional performing careers. She also gave private piano instruction.

Mrs. Talley began her church organ career at St. Mary's R.C. Church, Rosebank, at the age of 14. She pursued her music ministry at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp; St. Ann's R.C. Church in Waynesburg, Pa., and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and Our Lady Help of Christians R.C. Church, both in Tottenville.

From 1980 to 2010, she ws the principal organist and assistant director of music at St. Joseph-St. Thomas R.C. Parish, Pleasant Plains. where she was a parishioner.

For many years, Mrs. Talley was the assistant facilitator in the Bereavement Program at St. Joseph-St. Thomas, helping hundreds of people across the Island come to terms with their grief.

She was a member of the Building and Continuation committees for the construction of the new St. Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church, Pleasant Plains, and was also a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

She was a past secretary of the Horsemen's Association of Greene County and of the Greene County Cooperative Extension Service in Pennsylvania, where she established the first 4-H Horse and Pony Club in the area.

An avid bowler, Mrs. Talley was president of the Late Bloomers and the Thursday A.M. Ladies leagues at the former Bowling on the Green, New Dorp, and of the Fabulous A.M. Ladies League at Showplace Bowling, Travis. She also enjoyed playing mahjong and poker.

Surviving are her husband of 45 years, Dr. Charles; her son, Peter; her daughters, Gina Cannone, Denise Valenti and Christina Talley; a brother, Frank Woodland; a sister, Mary Marchese, and four grandchildren.

There will be a memorial mass on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Burial of ashes will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, West Brighton. Arrangements, including cremation, were handled by the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville.

Services: Memorial Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church -Saturday, November 23, 2013--9:30AM. Burial to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery

Visitation:

Memorials: Donations to The American Cancer Society- http://main.acsevents.org/goto/dolorestalley would be appreciated in Dolores' name.

Cemetery: St. Peter's Cemetery

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home

Church: St. Thomas The Apostle RC Church