Dolores Margaret (Johnston) St. Clair was born on Saturday, August 23, 1930, the third of Ralph H. and Zoa E. (Martin) Johnston's nine children—eight girls and one boy. She entered into God's eternal embrace on Friday, July 31, 2026, at Providence Place in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, at the age of 95.

 

Dolores was born in her family home, which adjoined the Capital Bakery on South Main Street in Chambersburg. At just three years old, her head full of curls, she was named “Miss Chambersburg.” As one of the older Johnston girls, she helped care for her younger siblings. 

 

She met the love of her life, Harold L. St. Clair, a sailor whose brother was her co-worker at Nathan's Department Store in downtown Chambersburg. They were married on January 25, 1953, and shared more than 73 patient, loving years together. Dolores lived exactly two months and ten days after Harold's death.

 

Harold and Dorie built their first home on Stumpy Lane in Path Valley. After growing up in a house full of girls, Dolores gave birth to two sons, Greg and Doug. In 1965, they moved back into Chambersburg and joined St. John's United Church of Christ, where they remained faithful members.

 

Dolores lived a very active life. If she wasn’t walking to Giant, Kmart (always on the lookout for a Blue Light Special!), or one of her sisters’ homes, she was riding her beloved Columbia Tourist around Leidig Drive. By the time she pedaled her final mile in her 80s, the odometer had surpassed 25,000 miles. And, much to the delight of her grandchildren, she could still pull off a headstand well into her 60s.

 

She loved gathering with family to share a meal or play cards—"the Johnstons knew how to have fun!"—and spent countless hours caring for her grandchildren after school. Even though decades separated the births of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, this Gram/Meme never lost her knack for playing and coloring with kids. 

 

She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Martha Custis Chapter No. 342, and she and Harold spent many years traveling in their motorhome with the Franklin County Shrine RV Club.

 

Dolores joins the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before her, including her beloved husband, Harold; her younger son, Douglas; her grandson, Nicholas; and her siblings, June Foreman, Edna Tarner, Peg Shearer, Patricia “Pat” Spidel, Zoa Rhea Johnston, and Ralph "Jim" Johnston Jr.

 

She leaves to our safekeeping her older son, Gregory (Cynthia) St. Clair; her daughter-in-law, Lynn St. Clair; her four grandchildren, Melissa (Ben Hodgin) St. Clair, Ryan (Lauren) St. Clair, Julie Ann (Collin) Wilson, and Jonathan (Gabrielle) St. Clair; her three great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Teagan, and Leo; and two sisters, Bonita "Bonnie" Byers and Constance "Connie" Abbott. She is also remembered and loved by her sisters- and brothers-in-law, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

 

A celebration of Dolores's life will be held at St. John's United Church of Christ (1811 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg) on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the service at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Caroline Saxton will officiate.

 

Memorial gifts in honor of Dolores's life may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ, Chambersburg, or to the ALS Association.