Born May 13, 1927, in Hamden, she was the daughter of William Henry and Edna Rigby Klarman. She graduated from Manhattanville College and became a registered nurse. She did graduate work in nursing at Yale University and married James J. Dolan in 1951, who served as president of Dolan Steel Inc. in Bridgeport.
Dolan and her husband were longtime residents of Fairfield, where they raised eight children. An active volunteer, she led tours of Southport Harbor for the Fairfield Historical Society, worked on the antiques show for Near & Far Aid and participated in beautification projects with the Sasqua Garden Club.
She was also a volunteer at Fairfield Country Day School and was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, St. Pius X Church, the Fairfield Beach Club and the Pequot Yacht Club. She was an avid gardener, swimmer, skier and tennis player.
Dolan later moved to Amelia Island, Fla., and Portland, Ore. She was most recently of Santa Monica, Calif., where she lived near her children and grandchildren and continued to garden, swim, cook and volunteer.
She is survived by her husband, James J. Dolan; eight children, James Jr. (Mary), of Westport, Richard (Susan), of Bend, Ore., Julie Dolan (Trem) Smith, of Dallas, Elizabeth, of Santa Monica, Sheila, of South Pasadena, Calif., Monica, of Portland, Brendan (Laura), of Irvine, Calif., and Lian (Berick), of Pasadena, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her twin sister, Eleanor; and four siblings, Richard, William, Virginia and Patricia.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield. Spear-Miller Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Skirball Hospice Association.
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