Dolores Jacqueline Hemsley (née Desmond) of Mount Laurel, formerly of Moorestown, New Jersey, passed away on March 10, 2026. Born on November 21, 1929, in Kearny, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Daniel J. Desmond and Sarah Horan Desmond. She graduated from Kearny High School and worked at the Bell Telephone Company before beginning her family. She was married to Joseph Hemsley, Jr. for 46 years until his death in 1998.
After several corporate relocations with RCA, Dolores and Joe settled in Moorestown in 1971, where they made their permanent home. A devoted mother, she guided her children through frequent moves, created warm and stable homes, and offered quiet wisdom that helped put life in perspective. She took pleasure in home decorating, family gatherings, candlelight, and a good glass of wine. In retirement, the sight of her husband teeing off on the 13th hole of the Moorestown Field Club signaled the start of their evening plans. She possessed a remarkable memory for birthdays and maintained an address book that doubled as a personal calendar. Quiet by nature, she had a quick and gentle wit.
Her greatest joy was her family. Dolores is lovingly remembered by her children, Susan Mohrfeld (Clarence), Kathleen Schafer (Karl), and Joseph G. Hemsley (Molly); her grandchildren, Lauren Charlton (Stephen), Jonathan Mohrfeld, Carmen Schafer, Susan Long (Owen), Joseph C. Hemsley, and Nora Hemsley; her great-grandson, Stephen Joseph Charlton; her siblings, Kathleen Procacci (the late Paul), Virginia Desmond, Danette Graham (Ronald), and Daniel Desmond (Debbie); and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sisters Dorothy Desmond and Helen Scapicio (the late Rocco).
Her family remains deeply grateful for the warm and attentive care she received at Brightview Senior Living in Mount Laurel during the final two years of her life.
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