Obituary of Grace M. Dolan

Grace M. Dolan, 92, formerly of 140 Pinedale Avenue, died Saturday April 8, 2023, in the Lutheran Home. A life-long Jamestown resident, she was born August 25, 1930, a daughter of Martin and J. Grace Mulroy Dolan. She was a graduate of Jamestown High School and Jamestown Community College. Prior to her retirement after 42 years of service, she was employed as executive director of the American Red Cross, Chautauqua County Chapter. She was a communicant of Holy Apostles Parish, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church where she served as eucharistic minister, visitor to the home bound, trustee, sacristan, altar server and a member of the luncheon committee. Grace was a member and past president of the Altar and Rosary Society and a member and past regent of Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She was the recipient of the St. Joseph Worker Award, presented by Bishop Edward Kmiec, for her work at the church and St. Thomas Aquinas Award for her work at Holy Family Parochial School. Formerly certified Red Cross swimming, life saving and CPR and first aid instructor, she attended the Red Cross National Aquatic and Synchronized Swimming Schools. In 1956 she was the first woman to receive the Volunteer of the Year Award for her work as a YMCA certified swimming instructor. She was also a certified New York State High School and USA Swimming official. Her other memberships include Zonta Club Alumna, Xi Beta Zeta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame board of directors, AARP (former treasurer and volunteer of the year, Willow Run Golf Course, Allen Park Women's Club, Commodore Longfellow Society, RSVP and volunteered as a driver for the American Cancer Society. She knit baby blankets for Project Linus through LSS and served on committees there. Grace enjoyed swimming, officiating, bowling, golfing, playing cards (especially bridge for over 60 years), knitting and traveling. More than anything she loved her family, Irish heritage, and baking and cooking for family gatherings. Surviving are six nieces and nephews Dr. Patricia (Paula Hills) Dolan of Auburn, WA, Martin (Mark Uhler) Dolan of Pittsburgh, PA, Captain James (Elizabeth) Dolan of Gettysburg, PA, Sean (Keri) Dolan of Butler, PA, Kathleen (Gerhart) Ortner of Big Sur, CA and William (Tom Bedson) Dolan of Chicago, IL; seven great nieces and nephews Vanessa Mason, Joshua Lundgren-Dolan, Ashton, Brandon, Grace, Keegan, and Kerry Dolan and a great-great nephew Sutter Dolan. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by three brothers James, John and Martin Dolan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 pm Saturday in SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends will be received from 2-5 pm Friday in the Lind Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Holy Apostles Parish, Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 508 Cherry St., Jamestown, NY 14701, or a charity of choice. You may leave words of condolence at www.lindfuneralhome.com.