Thomas Joseph Dolan

Thomas Joseph Dolan was born on June 19, 1952 in South Kingstown, RI. His father, Dr. Desmond D. Dolan, was then a professor at the University of Rhode Island in botany, doing plant breeding experiments. Those experiments involved finding varieties of plants from around the world, and inter-breeding the most desirable characteristics of the plants, which would be suitable for the various growing environments in the U.S.. His mother, then Eloise Leona Kelly, was a school teacher, who came from a family of nurserymen. His parents met while at Cornell University.

While a child, Tom enjoyed all sports, including archery, and showed great academic potential. As a teen, he excelled in Boy Scouting, received awards, and won a trip to the Grand Canyon. In high school, his high grades and scores led him to being accepted into Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences, where he first studied Chemistry, and then moved to a History major. He loved British history.

At Cornell, he was active in Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He enjoyed hiking through the many gorges in that area. After graduating from Cornell, he found employment at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC, where he spent his entire working career.

Much of his career there was spent managing federal monetary grants to states concerning education initiatives, such as student loan policy, and assistance for disabled persons. The federal government transferred money to the states, and Tom was someone who made sure that the states spent the federal money appropriately, via federal audits and feedback reports. Tom was often recognized for his professional work.

During weekends, Tom enjoyed boating in the Potomac River with friends. His boat had a kitchen and could sleep four people. In retirement, Tom moved to Fredericksburg, VA, where he died of a heart attack on August 22, 2026, while making his bed.

Tom was a lifelong bachelor, but he loved his nephews and niece. He had a long-time divorced girlfriend with kids, which kids Tom doted on for years as they grew up. Two of them are here today.

Tom had a non-cancerous brain tumor in 2017, that caused him often to have an unsteady balance. He, nevertheless, never gave up, and lived independently until his last day. He persevered, in difficult situations.
Tom was pre-deceased by his parents and by his brother, John. He is survived by his sister, Anne, his brother, William, six nephews, a niece, and their children.

His good humor and pleasant demeanor make him much missed by everyone.