Thomas Martin Dolan

Tom passed away on January 1, 2026 in San Diego CA. He was born on September 25, 1931 in New York City to Tommy & Margaret (Mellott) Dolan, both from County Mayo, Ireland. His formative years were spent in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan and he graduated from All Hallows High School in the Bronx.

He attended Iona College before joining the U.S. Army. He graduated from the Ordinance Officer Candidate School in Aberdeen MD as a 2nd Lieutenant and spent the better part of 1953 in Japan during and immediately after the Korean War. 

Prior to going overseas, Tom married Jean Montague in Baltimore MD and after his Army tour, he joined Maryland Casualty Insurance Company. He spent the next 15 years there and they adopted a loving daughter, Laura, in 1962. They moved to the Hartford area of Connecticut in 1968 and in time, their marriage ended. For the next 20 years, Tom worked in various management positions for Orion Capital Corporation (Security Insurance Company). The last 10 years of Tom’s business career were spent as an independent Insurance Consultant specializing in operations management, planning, and systems administration. 

Tom met JoAnn Celeste of Meriden CT and they were married in 1986. This marriage was the highlight of his life and JoAnn’s love was a beacon of light which guided them through their years together. 

In 1996, he and JoAnn moved to the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego CA. Tom loved the Southern California weather, lifestyle, and people. He was an active member of the Heights Country Club and the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute at UCSD. 

A day would not go by without Tom thinking of friends near and far who shared in good times and were companions in so many of life’s best moments. He loved golfing, watching sporting events, listening to music, reading, and sharing laughter and love with family and friends. 

He leaves behind his loving wife JoAnn; daughter Laura Spears (FL), 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren; sister Irene Jeffers (NJ); her children and grandchildren; JoAnn’s 3 siblings and their extended families (all in the San Diego area); the wonderful family members in Ireland who showed Tom & JoAnn hospitality above and beyond; the contingent of Connecticut friends; and the great bunch of golfing curmudgeons at The Heights Country Club in Rancho Bernardo.

A private memorial service will be held in CT at a time to be determined.