Dolores Grubba

Apr 21, 1934 -

Dec 19, 2025

Dolores Grubba passed away on Dec. 19, 2025, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Dolores had a deep and abiding faith in God and remained diligent in prayer throughout her life. Guided by her beliefs and convictions, she possessed a strong spirit, was a fierce protector of animals and a devoted friend of the convent for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Dolores was born in Chicago, Ill., the only child of Casimiro "Casey" Mandac, of Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, and Mary (Parenti) Mandac, whose family originated from the Abruzzo Region of Italy. She grew up on Campbell Street, in a colorful, ethnically diverse neighborhood near Little Italy. Dolores and her family eventually moved to Brookfield, a quiet, residential suburb. She commuted by train to Chicago to attend Loyola University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Her first job as a Registered Nurse was in the busy Emergency Room at Cook County Hospital, a renowned teaching hospital serving a diverse community. It was there that she developed her strong, determined sense of purpose and the resilience, stamina and fortitude that defined her life. While at Loyola, Dolores met a young and adventurous dental student, Albert J. Grubba. After graduating, Al was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, serving as a Captain. The two were married in Chicago on Feb. 27, 1960, and soon after moved north to Alaska to start their life together. They welcomed three children: Greg, Judy and Kathy. Together they built a home in Anchorage and established a private dental practice that would span nearly four decades. Their son, Greg, would later continue the practice, which remains in the family today. Both her husband and son were pilots, and one of Dolores's greatest joys was flying with them. Life in Alaska was pure adventure—fly-in fishing trips, ski weekends at Mt. Alyeska, kayaking, berry picking, crabbing in Whittier, boating in the waters of Kachemak Bay off the Homer Spit and waiting for the fishing boats to come in loaded with crab. A favorite day for Dolores would stretch long into the hours of the midnight sun, sitting on the shore with her family, around a campfire, with a bottle of wine and a loaf of crusty bread, and always, a dog or two by her side.

Dolores came to embrace life in Alaska but looked forward to breaking up the long, cold season with her family's tradition of winter trips to Hawaii. She was an avid reader and gifted cook. She smoked fresh fish and mastered the traditional Italian and Filipino recipes passed down through generations of her family. When her children were young, Dolores and Al often hosted charity and political gatherings in their home, where she became known as a gracious, quick-witted hostess with a natural flair for entertaining. She loved gardening and tending her flowers, and each summer local tour buses would pause in front of her home to allow visitors to snap photos of her beautiful homegrown blooms. Dolores married James D. Hodapp, J.D., in June 2000, following Al's death on Nov. 5, 1995. She first met Jim while attending Loyola University. Jim moved from Chicago to Alaska, and together they shared 15 years of travel and a love of the arts. Dolores volunteered as an usher at the Center for the Performing Arts and enjoyed attending the symphony, the opera and any stage production playing in town. She served as a Eucharistic minister at Providence Hospital and hosted monthly masses in her home with local priests and friends. Her passion was working with rescued animals at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. After Jim passed on March 4, 2015, Dolores continued to live in Anchorage, embracing many local outdoor adventures with her children and grandchildren. She loved visiting farms in the Matanuska Valley to pick fresh vegetables with her daughter, Kathy, and granddaughter, Kaitlyn, who cared for her right up until her final days. She continued flying with her son Greg and his children, Natalie and Michael, and, when her health allowed, traveled to California to visit her daughter Judy and watch her grandson, Rocco, perform on stage. Dolores was a truly one-of-a-kind woman with a striking elegance, quick wit and a devoted heart. She will be dearly missed. Dolores is survived by her eldest son, Gregory Grubba, D.D.S., and wife Michelle Grubba of Anchorage; Judy Goldsworthy and husband Mark Goldsworthy, M.D., of Carlsbad, Calif.; and Kathy Gilmour of Anchorage. Additionally, she is survived by her grandchildren, Kaitlyn Mary Gilmour of Anchorage, Ricardo "Rocco" Polanco of Los Angeles, Calif., and Michael and Natalie Grubba of Anchorage. A Service will be held in spring 2026, when a private gravesite memorial will take place as the family lays Dolores to rest next to her parents, at a fly-in mountain location among the peaceful rivers and waterfalls of the Lake Clark Pass.