Longtime journalist, Robert P. (Bob) Dolan, Jr., 87, of Edgecomb, passed away peacefully at his home on Sept. 2. Born on Nov. 8, 1920, in Springfield, Mass., he was the son of Robert P. and Mary McAnanama Dolan of Greenfield, Mass.
A member of the first class to receive diplomas at Greenfield’s Holy Trinity School in 1934, he graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1938 and attended Boston University and University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
He joined the Greenfield Recorder-Gazette in 1940 as a part-time sports reporter, leaving in June 1942 to enter the Army Air Corps. Following discharge in October of 1945, he became municipal and business reporter for the paper. During his tenure he served as city editor, news editor, managing editor, and was associate editor when he retired.
Bob wrote a weekly outdoor column for 31 years and the ski column “Sitzmarks” for 37. For several years, in addition to his recorder duties, he was the western Massachusetts correspondent for the Boston Globe. He was an honorary life member of the New England Outdoor Writer Association and a charter member of the Eastern Ski Writers Association.
He was public relations director for Thunder Mountain Ski Area in Charlemont, Mass., and news director for the mountain, renamed Berkshire East under new management. He also handled PR for the Pioneer Valley Cablevision Co. and Bruce Advertising Agency of Greenfield, promoting the Eastern States Exposition, and prepared “Shunpiking” brochures for the Franklin County (Mass) Chamber of Commerce.
Bob served in the Army Air Corps for 38 months, with two years and four months overseas. Schooled in Chicago as a radio operator and assigned to 61st Troop Carrier Group Headquarters, he saw duty in North Africa, Sicily, England and France. Awarded a campaign ribbon with seven battle stars and a distinguished unit badge with an oak leaf cluster, he always joked that his Good Conduct Medal was the most hard earned. Following VE Day, he was reassigned to the Air Transport Command that ferried troops from Europe to the U.S. He was stationed in Brazil and Trinidad until WWII ended.
He married Marguerite Mosher in June of 1946 and they raised five loving children. In 1982, he retired and moved to Maine. In November of that year, he married Anne Robinson Loring and they celebrated 25 happy years in 2007.
An ardent skier, he received his first pair at age five and, with the exception of his three years in the service, skied yearly until he was 75 at most areas in the northeast, plus Colorado, Switzerland and Austria.
He also enjoyed tennis, camping, canoeing, hunting, fishing and hiking and was a loyal Red Sox fan. He was president of the Greenfield Rod and Gun Club, and of the Franklin County League of Sportsmen’s Club. In 1967 he won an award for outstanding contributions to youth and conservation from the Mahar Fish and Game Club.
Bob was active in Boy Scouts for many years, as a member of Troop 2 in Greenfield, attaining Life Scout rank. He also served as scoutmaster until newspaper commitments interfered.
After 12 years of retirement, he was asked to serve temporarily as copy editor for the Lincoln County Weekly in Damariscotta, but ended up doing so for eight years. While with the paper, he wrote 94 editorial page columns on various topics.
An enthusiastic photographer, he traveled to many countries, including a safari in Kenya; Columbia, Virgin Islands and the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, and presented slide shows to local clubs.
Bob s brother, Edward J. Dolan, predeceased him.
Surviving Bob are his wife of 25 years, Anne Robinson Dolan; four daughters, Kathryn Lien of Swampscott, Mass., Constance LaFleur of New Hampshire, Anne Dolan-Wieting and husband John Wieting of Durango, Col., and Joan Dolan of Springfield, Mass.; son, Robert P. Dolan III and companion, Michele Webster of Vermont; a grandson, Erik Lien of Boston, Mass.; four stepchildren, Norman Loring III of Greenfield, Mass., Meredith Loring of Boston, Mass., Cassidy Brush and husband Tim of Breckenridge, Col., and Paul Loring and wife Helen Meurer of Pleasantville, N.Y.; and two step-grandchildren, Sophie and Julian Loring of Pleasantville, N.Y.
Service of thanksgiving for his life will be held at a later date, to be announced.
Donations in his memory may be made to Miles Home Health and Hospice, 40 Belvedere Rd., Damariscotta, ME 04543, or to the charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 612 Main St., Damariscotta.