|
Born in Joliet, Illinois to Marion Fahrner and Colonel Paul Gerald Dolan. He graduated from the University of Minnesota and entered service through ROTC as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Later, he was stationed in Istanbul and RAF Lakenheath.
Although offered a regular commission, he chose an honorable discharge after attaining the rank of Captain, in less than three years. He graduated from University of Maryland School of Pharmacy from which he won the Wagner Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence Prize, and settled in Millsboro, Delaware where he was the proprietor of Millsboro Pharmacy for 41 years until his death. One of his proudest accomplishments was the award-winning accessibility of his pharmacy, and a return to professional service.
He served on the board of the original Mid-Sussex Medical Center, was a Past-President of the Delaware Pharmaceutical Society, and recipient of the first Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award from Dupont Pharma. On the shore of Bett’s Pond, he and his wife reared their three children. Later, he welcomed the chance to nurture his grand-daughter, Anne Keiran.
He served on the vestry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church as Junior and Senior Warden. He was a member of Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association, and enjoyed spending time with his family on the water. He was a happily reluctant member of the first volunteer crew of the Kalmar Nyckel. He was an avid outdoorsman who never lost his love of fly-fishing on the Brule River.
He was an incredible font of knowledge about the natural world. He loved ornithology and botany. Possessing an intense curiosity and keen intellect, conversations with Tom were never dull. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Richard and Paul, and his sister Grace.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years Linda Pierce Dolan, his children, Anne Quaintance, John Pierce (Jessica,) and James Butler (Jennilee,) and his grandchildren Anne Keiran and Thomas Carder. He is also survived by his brother, William of Chicago, Illinois, his sister Mary Anne of Duluth, Minnesota, and his brother John David of Casper, Wyoming as well as a multitude of nephews, nieces, and cousins.
|
Jon Gentry
Several days ago I learned that a former friend and classmate of mine, Walt Dolan, passed away. It took a while for it to sink in and give it some thought. We had some good and wild times together, but one I will never forget was the time we drove, on a cold, clear, December evening, just before Christmas, to his family's cabin on the Brule River in Wisconsin. There was a soft, thick, dry snow carpeting the trees and the ground. The sauna was set to run at a good temperature that brought out the aroma of birchwood. Once up and running, we ran out from the steaming sauna and dove into the snowbanks next to the river and then ran back so many times I forgot how many. I do remember looking up into that cold, clear December sky and saw it lit up by our great galaxy, the Milky Way. There was so much stardust, it seemed like you could touch it. It was so typical in that far, northern part of the country where we grew up, at that time of year. After we graduated from UMD in 1967, he went to Dover, DE to serve his country and I to medical school in the Twin Cities. We lost contact after that. How so true is that poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken". Fare thee well, former friend and classmate. Fare thee well. , Jon
Peter Pichetti
How beautiful and well written Jon! Thank you from all of your classmates.
Peter Pichetti