Dolores Hope biography
Date of birth : 1909-05-27
Date of death : 2011-09-19
Birthplace : New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality : American
Category : Famous Figures
Last modified : 2011-09-20
Credited as : singer, philantropist, Bob Hope wife
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She was born in New York City and raised in the Bronx. She is of Italian and Irish descent. During the 1930s, she began her professional singing career, and changed her name from Dolores DeFina to Dolores Reade upon the advice of her agent. In 1933, after appearing at the Vogue Club, a Manhattan nightclub, Hope was introduced to Bob Hope. The couple were married 19 Feb 1934 in Erie, Pennsylvania and later adopted four children at The Cradle in Evanston, Illinois: Eleanora, Anthony, Linda, and Kelly. In the 1940s, Dolores began helping Bob on his tours entertaining U.S. troops overseas and she would continue to do so for over 50 years. In 1990, she was the only female entertainer allowed to perform in Saudi Arabia. At 83 she recorded her first CD, Dolores Hope: Now and Then. She followed this with three additional albums and also recorded a Christmas CD with Bob entitled Hopes for the Holidays.
On May 29, 2003, Dolores was at her husband's side as he celebrated his 100th birthday; he died two months later on July 27, 2003. The following year, Bob and Dolores' elder son, Anthony Hope, died at the age of 63. He was father to two of the Hope grandchildren, Miranda of Washington and Zachary of Santa Monica.
On May 27, 2009, Dolores Hope became a centenarian; her birthday was featured on The Today Show, with her younger son saying in an ABC interview, "I think of her as love." On May 29, 2010, Mrs. Hope was quoted as saying to local press, of her 101st birthday, "I'm still recovering from my 100th birthday bash, so I'm going to keep this year's celebration much quieter." On May 27, 2011, she celebrated her 102nd birthday at her California residence.
Dolores Hope was an Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian organization Wings of Hope.
On October 21, 2008, she was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California after suffering a suspected stroke. Her publicist released a statement indicating that she spent less than four hours at the hospital where she underwent routine testing.
Dolores died of natural causes at her home in Toluca Lake, California on September 19, 2011. She was 102 years old.
