Bob Hope 's widow Dolores Hope, who was married to the legendary comedian for 69 years, has died at her home in Toluca Lake, California, aged 102 years old, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Dolores, who died on Monday (19th September 2011), oversaw her and Bob's long devotion to charitable giving and played a key role in establishing the Eisenhower Medical Centre in California. The couple donated 80 acres near their Palm Springs estate for the medical centre to begin construction - it eventually opened in 1971. The centre's website says Bob and Dolores became, "the driving forces behind the creation and long-term growth" of the facility. Bob died in 2003, two months after his 100th birthday and at the time his wife declined to confirm how much they had raised for charity. The couple's wealth had been estimated at around $500 million. The pair met after Bob attended one of his future wife's signing shows in New York - they married in 1934 after a brief courtship. The couple went on to perform together regularly and in 1990 they entertained American troops in Saudi Arabia.
Dolores Hope is survived by her daughters Linda and Nora Somers, as well as her son Kelly, four grandchildren and great grandchild. Her son Anthony died in 2004.