1926
Dellavena
2013
Dellavena C Dolan
January 12, 1926 — May 5, 2013
Dellavena ("Dee") Dolan died on May 5, 2013 at her home in Fairwinds Sand Creek Retirement Community.
She was born on January 12, 1926, in Ozark, Missouri to James and Rosa Cave. Her unusual first name was suggested by her grandmother. Dee attended schools in Ozark. She started piano lessons early in her life. Her sister Ernestine arrived when she was six. She enjoyed playing at her grandparent's farm, even if she was sometimes chased by the turkeys! A life-long love of pretty rocks and crystals began when Dee, at age 10, spotted a sparkling quartz-covered rock in a dry stream bed there.
When she was 12, her family moved to the "big city": Kansas City Missouri. It was very different from Ozark. Trick-or-treating at Halloween was a new experience for her. In high school, Dee was active in "Thespians," a literary society. She graduated from Central High School in 1944.
She spent a year studying music at a community college. By then, she was an accomplished pianist and played for many of her friend's weddings.
Dee became a secretary for Midcontinent Airlines. She loved to take dictation and write in shorthand. She was a fast and accurate typist. The job included typing data into huge financial spreadsheets. As always, she paid close attention to details. Dee also enjoyed the travel benefits of working for an airline! She loved to travel and take photographs of beautiful places.
On February 19, 1949, Dee married Gerald ("Jerry") Edward Dolan. They made their home in Kansas City.
She was delighted when their daughter was born in 1950. Dee always wanted to see anything her daughter put together, from drawings as a child to reports and photos as an adult. Dee encouraged her daughter to do her best in everything.
Job changes resulted in the family moving to Joliet Illinois in 1952, then to East Alton Illinois in 1956. Two more moves followed: to Newark Delaware in 1961 and to Brigham City Utah in 1965. Although Dee was shy, she adapted and made new friends after each move.
Wherever she lived, she was a faithful and loving wife, mother, and homemaker. In the Joilet years, she made mother/daughter dresses. Dee made themed table decorations for special occasions at her church. In the East Alton years, she was a Girl Scout leader. Dee also continued her photography, winning an award for a photo of mouth-watering chocolates. She discovered a love for growing African violets.
Delaware was her favorite of the four places. She always loved beautiful flower gardens; Longwood Gardens amazed and delighted her. She became active in the local garden club. She discovered flower shows. Her love of plants expanded; she grew hundreds of African violets and orchids. Dee won many flower show prizes for her plants.
In the Utah years, Dee continued to pursue her interest in flower gardens and indoor house plants. She enjoyed creating floral designs for flower shows. After significant study and training, she became a National Garden Clubs-certified flower show judge.
In the 1980's, she took up painting and created many beautiful pictures. She and Jerry also started traveling to Hawaii when they had an opportunity. Hawaii drew her back seven times.
In 1985, Dee joyfully welcomed the birth of her grandson, Martin Gentillon, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Whenever he visited her, she always had a craft project ready for them to enjoy.
In 1992, Dee and Jerry downsized and moved to a condominium in Idaho Falls. They also purchased a home in Sun City West, Arizona.
Dee and Jerry had 52 years together. After he died from a heart attack in 2001, Dee was alone for the first time in her life. She figured out how to downsize again, and moved to Fairwinds in 2005. In her later years, as always, she wanted to do things properly and by the rules.
Dee enjoyed pets. In her childhood, there was a little bird named Wookie. The Illinois years were enriched by a cat named "Peppy." A Persian cat named "Topaz" joined the family in Delaware and rode in an airplane when the family moved to Utah. Her favorite pet was a Maltese poodle named "Holly" who loved to ride in the car.
Dee was a Baptist, and enjoyed serving as a pianist, grounds coordinator, secretary, and teacher. She had a deep, vibrant, and unshakeable faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. On Feb. 12, 1960, she gave her daughter a Bible and wrote the following poem in its back:
This is the sweetest Valentine
That ever there could be.
It tells of God's great saving love
For you and even me.
So cherish it with all your heart.
Make it your guide by day and night.
And it will lead you safely home
To God's eternal love and light!
Although we very much miss her, we rejoice that she is now in that love and light, with loved ones who preceded her and with our Lord, Jesus.
When: Friday, May 10th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
When: Friday, May 10th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
She was born on January 12, 1926, in Ozark, Missouri to James and Rosa Cave. Her unusual first name was suggested by her grandmother. Dee attended schools in Ozark. She started piano lessons early in her life. Her sister Ernestine arrived when she was six. She enjoyed playing at her grandparent's farm, even if she was sometimes chased by the turkeys! A life-long love of pretty rocks and crystals began when Dee, at age 10, spotted a sparkling quartz-covered rock in a dry stream bed there.
When she was 12, her family moved to the "big city": Kansas City Missouri. It was very different from Ozark. Trick-or-treating at Halloween was a new experience for her. In high school, Dee was active in "Thespians," a literary society. She graduated from Central High School in 1944.
She spent a year studying music at a community college. By then, she was an accomplished pianist and played for many of her friend's weddings.
Dee became a secretary for Midcontinent Airlines. She loved to take dictation and write in shorthand. She was a fast and accurate typist. The job included typing data into huge financial spreadsheets. As always, she paid close attention to details. Dee also enjoyed the travel benefits of working for an airline! She loved to travel and take photographs of beautiful places.
On February 19, 1949, Dee married Gerald ("Jerry") Edward Dolan. They made their home in Kansas City.
She was delighted when their daughter was born in 1950. Dee always wanted to see anything her daughter put together, from drawings as a child to reports and photos as an adult. Dee encouraged her daughter to do her best in everything.
Job changes resulted in the family moving to Joliet Illinois in 1952, then to East Alton Illinois in 1956. Two more moves followed: to Newark Delaware in 1961 and to Brigham City Utah in 1965. Although Dee was shy, she adapted and made new friends after each move.
Wherever she lived, she was a faithful and loving wife, mother, and homemaker. In the Joilet years, she made mother/daughter dresses. Dee made themed table decorations for special occasions at her church. In the East Alton years, she was a Girl Scout leader. Dee also continued her photography, winning an award for a photo of mouth-watering chocolates. She discovered a love for growing African violets.
Delaware was her favorite of the four places. She always loved beautiful flower gardens; Longwood Gardens amazed and delighted her. She became active in the local garden club. She discovered flower shows. Her love of plants expanded; she grew hundreds of African violets and orchids. Dee won many flower show prizes for her plants.
In the Utah years, Dee continued to pursue her interest in flower gardens and indoor house plants. She enjoyed creating floral designs for flower shows. After significant study and training, she became a National Garden Clubs-certified flower show judge.
In the 1980's, she took up painting and created many beautiful pictures. She and Jerry also started traveling to Hawaii when they had an opportunity. Hawaii drew her back seven times.
In 1985, Dee joyfully welcomed the birth of her grandson, Martin Gentillon, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Whenever he visited her, she always had a craft project ready for them to enjoy.
In 1992, Dee and Jerry downsized and moved to a condominium in Idaho Falls. They also purchased a home in Sun City West, Arizona.
Dee and Jerry had 52 years together. After he died from a heart attack in 2001, Dee was alone for the first time in her life. She figured out how to downsize again, and moved to Fairwinds in 2005. In her later years, as always, she wanted to do things properly and by the rules.
Dee enjoyed pets. In her childhood, there was a little bird named Wookie. The Illinois years were enriched by a cat named "Peppy." A Persian cat named "Topaz" joined the family in Delaware and rode in an airplane when the family moved to Utah. Her favorite pet was a Maltese poodle named "Holly" who loved to ride in the car.
Dee was a Baptist, and enjoyed serving as a pianist, grounds coordinator, secretary, and teacher. She had a deep, vibrant, and unshakeable faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. On Feb. 12, 1960, she gave her daughter a Bible and wrote the following poem in its back:
This is the sweetest Valentine
That ever there could be.
It tells of God's great saving love
For you and even me.
So cherish it with all your heart.
Make it your guide by day and night.
And it will lead you safely home
To God's eternal love and light!
Although we very much miss her, we rejoice that she is now in that love and light, with loved ones who preceded her and with our Lord, Jesus.
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When: Friday, May 10th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
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When: Friday, May 10th, 2013
Location: Funeral Home
Address:
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