Delores was born on September 13, 1936, to Ursie and Clensey Broome Sr. in Braceville, Ohio, which is a small rural community between Newton Falls and Warren, Ohio. She was the second child and the first daughter of this union. Being the second of ten children, Delores earned her status as “The Boss” at an early age. She was an avid reader, loved writing poetry, short stories, and cooking.

As the eldest girl, she helped her mother care for her younger siblings and by the age of 14, she had already decided on a career in nursing. Delores knew that her career aspiration was uncommon for a young black woman at that time, but her mind was made up and she fiercely pressed forward toward her goal. After graduating from Braceville High School, she was admitted to the Trumbull Memorial Hospital, School of Nursing Program where she met her friend, Loretta Davis. Delores and Loretta were the only black students that graduated from the nursing program’s class of 1957. Delores had many trailblazing accomplishments over her lifetime. She became one of the first black head nurses in the history of the Akron General Medical Center at a time when that was unheard of. She started with Intensive Care Nursing and then spent 18 years as the Head Nurse over Neurology and Nephrology. In this leadership role she was also trained nursing students from the Akron General Medical Center Nursing Program. Delores also spent 6 years as the nursing supervisor for the Endoscopy Laboratory.

Shortly after graduation, Loretta became Delores’s sister-n-law when Loretta married her brother, Rosco. Delores also went on to marry her fiancé, James Fitch, in 1958. Their union welcomed two daughters, Valerie, and Carmen as well as a stepson, James Jr. The marriage ended in divorce after 10 years, but some years later, Delores married her best friend, Bertryl Flinn. Through this union, she welcomed sons, Adrian, Jermaine and Marlon. Delores and Bert were married for just short of 24 years before he preceded her in death.

Delores was a woman of faith and was baptized at the age of 13. She faithfully attended the Braceville Baptist Church with her grandmother, and taught Sunday School to the youth. In January 1977, Delores renewed her commitment to Christ and became a member of the Akron Apostolic Temple. She served faithfully in the ministry until her health prevented her to do so. As an active member of the ministry, Delores accepted her call to evangelism in November of 1989. She led the Christian Women’s Auxiliary and served as the second assistant to her Pastor, Bishop Stanley B. Robinson.

She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend, Bertryl Flinn, father, Clensey Broome Sr, mother, Ursie Broome, brothers, Rosco, Kenneth, Ronald and Clensey, Jr. Broome; sisters, Jacqueline, Theresa, and Kay Broome; special nephew, Rosco Broome Jr.; great-grandson, Imani Warren Tolbert; and grandchild, JasLynn.

She is survived by daughters, Valerie Fitch-Tolbert, and Carmen (Xavier) Fitch; love adopted daughter, Laura Freeman; stepsons, James (Awilda) Butler, Adrianne Burkett, Jermaine Gamble and Marlon Parker; grandchildren, Carmen Tolbert, Emmett Tolbert III, Shawndra (Dan) Bickley, and Melissa Fitch; 28 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Howard (Barbara) Broome; sister, Sherry Ferris and a host of extended family members and friends.