Laura Christine Dolan was a woman who touched the lives of everyone she met. She was energetic, fun and unfailingly kind. Although she has passed away too soon, her influence will not soon be forgotten.
Laura passed away at 9pm Thursday, July 31st 2014, eight days after suffering a stroke and falling into a coma. Despite the incredible care given by the staff of the UMass Memorial hospital in Worcester, she was unable to overcome the effects of the stroke and died peacefully at the age of 50.
Laura was born August 27th 1963 at St. Marys Hospital in Decatur Illinois. Her mother Cheryll Hall gave her the unique opportunity to have three fathers in her life; her birth father Robert Myers, her first stepfather James Manners, and her second stepfather Tom Hall. Laura was the only sister amongst a few half-brothers; Todd Manners who she grew up with, Darren Myers, Tommy and Tyler Hall.
Figure skating, softball, and track were what kept Laura busy throughout school. It was figure skating that introduced to her to a hockey player named Frederick Leo Dolan IV. After dating for a short time in Decatur Illinois, Fred and Laura moved to Freds hometown of Marlborough Massachusetts, where they were married in October of 1985. They had two children Megan Marie, born in 1982, and Frederick Leo V, born in 1985.
For the last twenty years Laura taught figure skating to students of all ages at the Navin Arena. She was also the Director of the Bay State Blades Marlborough skating club.
The brightest light in Lauras life for the past seven years has been her grandchildren, Kelly, Erin and her new grandson Colton. Given to her by her son and his wife Katie they gave her the best excuse to play on swings, climb jungle gyms, and do cartwheels. Lauras daughter Megan and her husband Karl gave her a reason to travel to the West Coast and experience a part of the country she had not been in before.
Always evident to those who met Laura and Fred together was the love they shared. It was this love that shaped both of these individuals. A quote from one of Lauras favorite authors scratches the surface of the love they felt for each other; "Love is absorbing, related to affection but stronger, full of appreciation for | and delight in | the other person, marked by a desire always to please and benefit her or him, always to smooth the loved ones way through the roughness of the days and to do everything possible to make her or him feel profoundly valued". -Dean Koontz-
Laura Hall Dolan