Helen Dolores Gibson Cronin, 88, of Clinton, MS returned to her heavenly home on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 26, 2019 from 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1301 Pinehaven Drive, Clinton, Mississippi.
Visitation will be Wednesday, March 27, 2019, from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.with services to be held at 11:00 a.m.at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1301 Pinehaven Drive, Clinton, Mississippi.

Dolores was born on April 29, 1930 as the only child of George Thomas Gibson and Brilla Drummond Fortenberry Gibson in D'Lo, Mississippi.

Dolores spent her early childhood in D'Lo and Mendenhall and cherished her memories of growing up in Simpson County. She moved to the Jackson/Clinton area as a young girl. While attending Clinton High school she met and later married her high school sweetheart, Irvin Cronin. They were married in August of l947 and would have celebrated their 72nd Anniversary this year. Dolores was an active and dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dolores and Irvin loved Clinton and wanted to raise their family in the place where they met and fell in love. Clinton was "home" to her. The young couple returned and have remained since 1960. Having been an only child, Dolores always said she missed having brothers and sisters. She and Irvin filled that void with six (6) children and a home filled with love and laughter of a large family. Her greatest joy in life was found in her family, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great-great grandchildren. Dolores treasured her testimony and knowledge of her Savior, Jesus Christ, and her unshakable faith that families are, indeed, forever and eternal.

Dolores loved history. Especially, family history. She was dedicated to her geneology work long before it became the trend of today. She spent countless hours researching and searching for her kindred dead. She came to know her ancestors and their stories and could, endlessly, recapture their lives in her vivid story telling of each one. On any given day she would be found in her "sewing room" where she captivated those around her with stories of days long gone by.

Dolores loved to read. She reveled in all things Southern. She loved to read works of Southern authors whose writings painted pictures of her Southern heritage, of magnolias, dogwood blossoms, muscadines, and front porches. She loved nature, her garden, her hummingbirds that would gather outside her windows.

She was creative and expressed much of that creativity in her sewing and quilting. Her grandchildren always knew if a costume, from a super hero to a snowman, was needed her skills were unmatched. But, her love was expressed in her quilting. She designed and created quilts of every description. Her work was masterful, though, she saw that work as a only a hobby. Each of her quilts were designed with a special meaning and she worked tirelessly to create a story in each one.

Dolores was known to always reach out to those in need and to serve others. She was a friend to so many and shared her wisdom, wit, and talents with all who knew and loved her.
Her greatest desire in life was to live a life that was pleasing unto her Savior and instill those principles of love and service in her posterity.

Dolores is preceded in death by her son, Michael Glenn Cronin, her great-granddaughter, Victoria Christina Anderson, and her parents.

She is survived by her loving husband, Dr. Irvin H. Cronin, of Clinton, MS; children, Dr. Kenneth I. Cronin (Sue) of Clinton, MS; George P. "Pat" Cronin (Teresa) of Clinton, MS; Cathy C. Coughlin (John) of Clinton, MS; Carol C. Ray (Rob) of North Ogden, UT; and Jeffrey H. Cronin (Kristel) of Rome, GA.

She is survived by 18 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.