Dolores "Toots" Jansen

Tootsie’s smile is what you remember after meeting her for the first time and after knowing her all your life. “Tell me a story,” she would urge. It was her way of finding out what you found funny or remarkable since she last saw you. And she would wait eagerly for the punch-line, a smile already in the making.

Dolores was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Trisha and Milka Simich on April 4, 1929. She was a devoted daughter to her father and mother who were both pillars of the Serbian community and served as integral part of her family’s construction business for many years.  Her first marriage produced three children—Rock, Gavrilo and Michael. Her second marriage to Daniel Jansen lasted 35 years ending with Dan’s passing just six months ago.  Michael, who has a developmental disability, was an enormous influence on her life.  She was a devoted advocate and supporter of children with developmental disabilities and a regular donor/contributor to the Special Olympics and New Avenues to Independence.

Tootsie was a woman of understated talents.  She imagined a unique contemporary space within her first home that became “one of a kind” in its time and place and was featured in House and Garden magazine . An early adopter, she decorated the interior with fashion-forward pieces from the now iconic furniture innovators including Knoll, Eames, Saarinen and Herman Miller.

Her gifts to loved ones were extraordinary in style, innovation and generosity and yet she seldom indulged herself. Her wardrobe consisted of a bulky cashmere sweater, sweatpants and sneakers. That’s Tootsie!

Anyone who knew Toots would also recognize her love of old movies.  Nearly up to the time of her passing, she could recite the plot line and name the cast to a wide array of TMC films starring, Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and many others.

A real life “Auntie Mame” character, playful and unpredictable, she was the Grandma who sat still for hours to allow little ones to paint her face with make-up, affix numerous barrettes in her hair, and adorn her neck and arms with paper chain jewelry, which she would wear for the duration of the day no matter where she had to go.

She was the mom who rented a U-Haul and drove solo from Cleveland to Boston in the middle of the night to deliver furniture to one of her kids by breakfast. And she was the mom who, when called out by her sons for buying too many sweets, stocked every room and closet in the house with fresh bags of Oreos. That’s Tootsie!

She was truly one of a kind and leaves behind a pair of sneakers that can never be filled and many hearts filled with tender love. Večnaja Pamjat Draga Tootsie.

In lieu of flowers family suggests contributions to New Avenues for Independence, 17608 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 44112 or to St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 6306 Broadview Road, Parma 44134.   ALL SERVICES WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 23 AT 11AM AT ST. SAVA SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL.   V. Rev. Dragoslav Kosic officiating.  Interment St. Theodosius Cemetery.  FRIENDS MAY CALL AT THE DONALD A. FAULHABER FUNERAL HOME, 7915 Broadview Road (at Sprague) on FRIDAY MARCH 22 4-8 PM.  POMEN SERVICE FRIDAY 5:00 PM.  Faulhaberfuneralhome.com  Večnaja Pamjat