James Dolan New Orleans October 2011
On behalf of my sisters and brothers, I’m deeply saddened to announce the death of our father James Joseph Dolan. He passed away peacefully on February 11th in Dallas surrounded by his family. He was 85 years old.
Our father was a participant of life, soaking in experiences, words and emotions and inviting others to join with him in the adventure. He loved Flannery O’Connor, Neil Diamond and the Clancy Brothers. He knew about philosophy and history and science. He’d zip into New York for the afternoon to see a show, buy a good tie or try a new restaurant. He started running in the 70s and never stopped moving. He saw the Taj Mahal at sunset, drove to Florida with his college buddies and sailed to Europe many times. He served in WWII but only made it as far as Iceland before VE Day. He wrote a half dozen screenplays and dozens of (never published) letters to the Editors of the New York Times. He appeared on stage at the Metropolitan Opera in Aida with Leontyne Price. (Or, as he would say, “True story.”) He was in the chorus and she was the star, but they both had their names in the program on Opening Night.
Our father was storyteller of great skill and enthusiasm, playing fast and loose with the facts for the sake of a great punch line or a dramatic moment. My father never would have succeeded half so well in this age of instant fact-check and Google on every Smartphone. His tales of Glen Miller playing at his high school prom, running into Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller shopping on Christmas Eve and seeing The Beatles in Berlin before their appearance on Ed Sullivan benefitted from hyperbole and a few outright lies. But we didn’t care; we simply enjoyed the stories.
More than anything, though, our father lived his life with a generosity of spirit. Family and friends knew of his unquestioning loyalty, warmth and kindness. So did others who benefitted from his work on various organizations and boards, from the Boys and Girls Club to the Rotary Club. He was devoted to his church, serving many years as a lecture with his booming voice and to his alma mater, the College of the Holy Cross. But mainly, he was devoted to people, his people. As my cousin wrote to me this morning, “Your father was a real gentleman.”
For many years, my father had a quote up in his study from W.B. Yeats:
We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us that they may see, it may be, their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even with a fiercer life because of our quiet.
Still water. Beings gather. Fiercer life. I must have read it hundreds of times, trying to understand its meaning fully, but I think I might now. As any family who has been through Alzheimer’s knows, it’s a dark, twisted and terrifying journey for both the patient and the family with a mind working at million miles an hour but in all the wrong ways.
But yesterday was different, my sister Julie tells me. He was quiet. Still. No doubt beings gathered.
What a gift. And a fitting way to end his fierce life.
Go in peace, Dad. In peace.
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They are together again.
Lian, that is a beautiful tribute to your Dad. So very sorry for the Dolan family’s loss.
Such a beautiful tribute. Your tribute reminds me of my own Dad, also a Holy Cross grad (althugh fom the 60′s). So sorry for your loss.
Julie, Liz, Sheila, Monica, and Lian,
My deepest condolences to you and your families. Jim Dolan – what an extraordinary man. Edna Dolan – what an extraordinary woman. You are an extraordinary family. Thank you for sharing your lives. Peace be with you all. Kim
How beautiful, – I’m holding you all in the light. Lian – it sounds like you are a lot like your dad….now I know where your great story telling comes from. Be still these weeks…
I am so sorry for your loss. May your family find peace in this difficult time knowing your parents are together again.
Lovely tribute to them both Lian.
Such a beautiful tribute. He taught his children well. You all bring your own special gifts to this world. I pray Jim & Edna are together again as they were in life. Blessings to all.
What a terribly bittersweet loss for all of you. I will continue to keep your family in my prayers. Your parents sound like wonderful people and they live on in each of you. All of us satellite sisters are thankful for them!
Your family has found it’s way into my heart through my earbuds. Without knowing any of you really, I still feel a closeness and a loss with this news. You are stellar women and your parents can now shine down on you in absolute clarity and brilliance. I send my love to your mourning hearts.
Julie, Liz, Sheila, Monica and Lian, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear father. These past months have brought such sadness to your family and to your satellite sisters as we share your pain. Be comforted by the thought that your parents are united once again and that “Jim and Edna’s Excellent Adventure” continues in heaven.
Thank you for sharing your parents with us over the years. We’ve laughed, cheered, been inspired, and now we share your tears.
I have no doubt Edna and Jim are off on their next Excellent Adventure.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and everyone who loves them.
Group hug to the Dolan family. I am so sorry about all of this.
I have to say your family did great! You Dolan kids did great as well!
I’m sorry for your loss, but what a wonderful legacy he and your mom left you.
May this Crusader rest in peace. He was truly a man for others.
Julie, Liz, Sheila, Monica and Lian, my heart goes out to you and all who love your Dad. You have shown such grace and such generous spirits throughout this sad year. Lian, your essay about your Dad is beautiful and touching; and how much a man who valued words would love yours, his very own daughter’s.
Wishing each of you comfort and your own kind of peace. With love,
Kathy
Dear Sisters,
I am so very sorry for your loss. What a hard and long journey it was for your father up until the end. How lucky he had all your love and support. How lucky for you that you had his love and support as your sweet, smart, story-telling dad. Lian, you have a gift for sharing the heart of the people you write about. Your love and respect for your father is so apparent in your beautiful tribute.
I’m thinking of you all and your brothers too during this difficult time.
A Era leaves with Edna and Jim saying goodbye to the wonderful offspring ! I am hugging you all.. as the LOVE Respect Honor you all have between you all and them… was the magic you offer… It was beautiful to observe and very rare in this world today.. Dapper Jim joins Edna Peacefully.
I did see your parents in person when Liz had them at the Lucky’s in Montecito ~ They taught you all super well !! That is for sure !!
Why you all are the ” Satellite Sisters” !
I think it is time to claim your Fame Now ! Considering Liz was one of the first female board members at NIKE and played a huge role in creating in what Nike became.. It is time for the Satellite Sisters to claim your place in the world !
Ms Grossman was only at NIKE 6 yrs much later but this fact along with her knowing how to shop !! Has made her the 96th most powerful woman in WORLD !! I am not finding fault with Ms Grossman’s achievement at all. Just alerting the Satellite Sisters they have a immense Brain Trust that deserves the recognition for all Your accomplishments in being Trend Setter Females.
You were all ahead of the curve but now it is exponential times of the female rising. New Days for everyone and time for real female leaders to come from the shadows and do marketing of selves to claim life lived..
Many Blessings and Light Always to you all and your parents,
Cassandra
Mindy Grossman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mindy Grossman is the CEO of the Home Shopping Network.[1] In 2012, she was ranked by Forbes as the 96th most powerful woman in the world.[1] Grossman joined HSN in 2006, after spending spending six years at Nike and five years at Polo Jeans.[2]
Grossman attended Manhattanville College and George Washington University.[3]
[edit]Awards
In February 2012, she won the Ernst & Young’s Corporate Innovator of the Year award. In 2010, the Financial Times listed her as one of the top 50 women in world business, and in 2009, Forbes named her one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.[4]
[edit]References
^ a b “World’s Most Powerful Women”. Mindy Grossman. Forbes.com. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
^ “Avon Woos HSN’s Mindy Grossman for CEO Post – WSJ.com”. New York: Dow Jones. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
^ “Mindy Grossman: Executive Profile & Biography – Businessweek”. investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
^ “How CEO Mindy Grossman Transformed HSN – ELLE”. elle.com. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
[edit]External links
Mindy Grossman HSN Profile
Really beautiful tribute, Lian.
Lian, such a beautiful tribute. And so much loss for your family in such a short time. Sending you all my deepest hopes for your healing and peace. Ann
My condolances to all of you
Sympathies on the loss of your father. As so many have found (including in my own family) with Alzheimer’s, it is a bittersweet end. Wishing you peace and love as you navigate this difficult time.
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