Mary Bridget (Flynn) Dollen
March 23, 1929 ~ December 25, 2016 (age 87) 87 Years OldShare using:
After a long and difficult journey through Alzheimers Disease, Mary B. Dollen, nee Flynn, entered into eternal peace surrounded by loved ones on December 25, 2016. She will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew her, especially her children.
She was born on March 23, 1929 in Lakeview, Harbour Main Conception Bay, Newfoundland Canada. She was the second of six children born to Stephen Flynn and Ellen Mary Tobin Flynn.
In 1949, at the age of 20, Mary traveled to Brooklyn, NY and worked as a secretary for New York Life Insurance. She married LeRoy O. Dollen, First Class Radioman for the US Navy on May 16, 1953, while living in New York City.
They were stationed at several U.S. Naval Bases along America’s East Coast; French Morocco, Africa and Argentia Newfoundland, Canada, before settling in Wheeling, IL in 1969. Mary worked as a Legal Secretary in Civil Service for Glenview Naval Air Base for 33 years. She received many awards and acknowledgements for her dedicated service and furthered her education by completing the Legal Secretarial program through Harper College, Palatine, IL.
Mary loved reading, writing and history, especially family history. Most of all, she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She loved her Canadian heritage, but was also proud to be an American citizen. Mary’s Catholic faith was a very important part of who she was. With an extraordinarily generous heart, she led by example as a loving mother and friend, putting others needs before her own.
She is survived by her four children: Mary Leah (David) Bergdahl of Harvard, IL., Stephen (Kristine) DuFaux of Naples, FL., Michael (Claudia) Dollen of Austin, TX., Elaine T. Clark of Mt. Horeb, WI.
She is further survived by her siblings, Agnes T. Thiesen, Desert Hot Springs, CA; Raymond J. Flynn Paradise, Newfoundland Canada, Rosella Esquivel, Canton, GA; nine grandchildren and nine great children.
Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Stephen Flynn, Ellen Mary Tobin Flynn, an infant brother Michael Flynn and brother George A. Flynn, ex-husband LeRoy O. Dollen, and two grandchildren – Ryan Scott Bergdahl and Shawna Marie Bergdahl.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Jan 7, 2017 at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 30100 Wilmot Rd, Wilmot, WI. Visitation will be held prior from 10:00 – 11:00 at the church. Burial will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery immediately following the Mass.
Heartfelt thanks are extended to her many caregivers along the way (especially the staff of Burr Oak Manor and Heartland Hospice) and to family and friends for their love and support through this journey. Memorials in Mary’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America 322 Eighth Ave 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Online condolences may be made at Haaselockwoodfhs.com. The Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home of Twin Lakes, WI is assisting the family.
