Thomas Dolan
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Obituary for Thomas Michael Dolan

Thomas Michael  Dolan
Thomas Michael Dolan, age 69, died on May 31, 2018. His official cause of death was complications from a throat cancer due to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam, unofficially he died from a broken heart over the death of his beloved wife, Judy Dolan.

Tom grew up in Stirling, NJ and is the son of former Long Hill Township Chief John Dolan and Eleanor (Lamson) Dolan, from whom he learned the values of family, community and service. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1967 and served in Vietnam, receiving the Bronze Star with Valor. Tom insisted that he wasn’t a hero, but that’s exactly what he was, running through enemy fire and a minefield to rescue injured fellow soldiers.

In 1973, Tom met the love of his life, Judy, and got married. Tom achieved his dream of following in his father’s footsteps, becoming a police officer. He and Judy had two daughters, Barbara (Anderson) and Holly (Schaffer). The family moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1988 following a car accident that forced Tom to retire from his police career. In Tucson, Tom worked for Sun Tran as a bus driver.

Tom loved sports, and was always up for a physical challenge, including completing a 250-mile bike race. He was a devout Catholic and a proud Marine. Later in life, his most cherished time was spent playing with his four grandsons.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Judy (Strouse) and his parents, John and Eleanor (Lamson) Dolan, his father-in-law, Frank Strouse, and his brother, John Dolan. He is survived by his two daughters, Holly (Schaffer) and Barbara (Anderson), his son-in-laws, George and Aidan, his four grandsons, Elliott and Evan Schaffer and Jude and Finn Anderson, his mother-in-law Roberta Strouse, his sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Bob Falzarano, and nieces and nephew, John Dolan, Amy (Falzarano) Jarvis, Melissa (Dolan) Breheny and Mary Falzarano. The family wishes to thank Anna Pitzlin of Morning Glory Care Home, who treated Tom with love and dignity during the last year of his life.

Services will be held Tuesday, June 19, with remembrances, visitation and photos from 9:30 – 11:30am at Valley Memorial Funeral Home, followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church at noon, and an interment at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery.

Donations in Tom’s name may be made to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation, PO Box 648, Holmdel, NJ 07733.

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