Dolores Pearl "Cookie" Bulger, 83, died at home Monday, September 18, 2017 after a long illness. Cookie was born in Monessen, PA to the late Frank and Anna Hutoff and was the sixth of nine children. She earned her nickname at a young age because of her small stature. She married her high school sweetheart, Gene as a senior in high school and briefly followed him to his first naval posting in Norfolk, VA.
Cookie returned to PA during her first pregnancy while her husband was deployed. Once Gene served his four-year stint and found work at Pittsburgh Steel, they purchased their first home in Monessen where they had seven children. In 1968, with the impending collapse of the steel industry, they returned to the Norfolk area to live.
Cookie was a homemaker while her children were young and worked in the food service industry until she retired. She was locally known for her home-baked treats. Friendly and out-going, she was active in her civic league and volunteered as a Brownie leader and den mother for Cub Scouts. She became an avid cheerleader for her children's sports teams and for varius teams that her husband coached. In later years, she was a regular in the stands for her husband's senior softball games.
The family she left behind includes her loving husband of 65 years, Gene Bulger; daughters, Bonnie Haggerty (John), Debbie Hunt (Ray), Jill Wedge and Kellie Swasey (Rob); sons, Kurt Bulger (Sally) and Ronald Bulger (Leslie); 18 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kimberly Simerley.
A service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 11 am at Graham Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1112 Kempsville Rd. Chesapeake, with a reception to follow. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the American Alzheimer's Association at http://www.alz.org/. Please visit www.grahamfuneralhome.com to view the service or to leave a condolence to the family.