Obituary of Pauline R. Dalton

Pauline Dalton was one of 3 children born to Jerome and Josephine Bannen Lorring. A life-long resident of Brooklyn, Pauline’s childhood summer days on Abbey Court, just 2 houses from golden sands of Gerritsen Beach Inlet, championed her to be an accomplished swimmer. When Pauline was 6 years old, her mother passed away, leaving her father to care for their three daughters: Josephine, Pauline and Geraldine. With the help of a housekeeper he raised his daughters while he worked as a painter at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Pauline met and married her beloved husband, Francis John Dalton, Sr. (Frank or Footsie), one of a family of 10 sisters and brothers. Together, Frank and Pauline raised 4 children: Josephine, Pauline (Paula), Frances, and Francis, Jr. (Frankie). Their Sheepshead Bay homestead of 65 years was the former childhood home of the famous Vince Lombardi, legendary football coach. In her early teen years, Pauline taught herself, through trial and error, to master the mechanics of her late mother’s pedal-operated Singer sewing machine. Pauline further advanced her sewing skills as a self-taught milliner, creating beaded hats for many notables, including Mamie Eisenhower. There was no stopping Pauline in her creativity in design and sewing, including curtains, furniture upholstery, slip covers, bed spreads, and Easter outfits for her 3 daughters, topped off with handmade matching hats. Soon friends, neighbors and family members, admiring her sewing talents, began frequenting her dining room for alterations. Word got out in “The Bay”, and in no time, Pauline ordered printed business cards so the customers would easily find “the lady on East 14 Street who sewed”. The late Nancy Orloff, owner of an exclusive ladies fashion store in Sheepshead Bay, engaged Pauline to provide Orloff’s custom alterations. Besides her stitching talents, Pauline also mastered the art of hanging wallpaper and sanitas, the original fabric-backed heavy wall covering. Again, word of her talent and abilities circled the neighborhood especially when she touted her ability to wallpaper ceilings, eliminating the need for painting ceilings every few years. In between being busy with her family, home and crafts, Pauline cared for her ill father for many years. Following her father’s death, she took on the sole responsibility of caring for her special needs sister, Gerry. In the mid 1950’s, Pauline became the second NYPD School Crossing Guard in Brooklyn and was assigned the busy intersection of Coney Island Avenue and Avenue Z. Pauline earned the title of the “Cheesecake Queen”. She could whip up a cheesecake faster than one could make a pot of coffee. The family was always pressured to cast the favorable vote for her when there was a bake-off competition with another friend or relative. Pauline and Frank toured just about every state in the USA, visiting family and friends. They enjoyed the open road in their Ford van in which Pauline designed the interior and Footsie custom fabricated and installed furnishings. Pauline is pre-deceased by her husband Frank and late daughter Josephine Zucco. Surviving children: Paula Antonio (Ed), Frances Rueda-Rossner (Raymond) and Frankie Dalton (Marlene); grandchildren: Teresa LaFountain (Steve), Josephine LaFountain, Lynne Lonie (John), E.J. Antonio (Maysa), Donna Gonzalez (Rimaro), Jennifer Ginnis (Manny) and Kristin Shtrahman (Arie); great grandchildren: Anthony, Mallorie, Claudia, Rachel, Josephine, Samantha, John, Emily, Patrick, Gabriella, Eddie-Joe, Andres, Joseph, Joshua, Jacquelyn, Afrodite, Peter, Kalliopi, and Cadence; and great-great grandchild: Alexa. Pauline also leaves a host of wonderful friends and the caring posse of neighbors of East 14th Street who have been so very helpful and caring to Frank and Pauline throughout the years. Pauline was an active member of the Columbiettes of the Baron DeKalb Council 1073 Knights of Columbus, and the St. Mark Church Rosary Society where she enjoyed the friendship in both organizations of so many good and caring women. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Mark R.C. Church, 2609 East 19 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11235.