Donald R. “Don” Dolly, 66, of Vandalia, passed away at 6:32 pm on August 19, 2017 at home, surrounded by his loving family, after a valiant and courageous 6 year battle with a rare cancer.
Services will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, August 24, 2017 at Miller Funeral Home, Vandalia, IL with Rev. Joe Lawson officiating. Friends may call at 10:00 am Thursday until service time. Interment will be at Fairlawn Cemetery, Vandalia, IL. Online memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www. Millerfh.net.
Don was born July 15, 1951 at the old Mark Greer Hospital in Vandalia, the son of Kenneth and Dorothy (Phelps) Dolly. He grew up in rural Vandalia and attended elementary schools in the Jimtown and Hagarstown area, then Vandalia Junior High and Vandalia Community High School, graduating in 1970. He married Elizabeth Harrison December 8, 1972, at Hurricane Baptist Church in rural Vandalia.
Don began working at a very early age and held many various jobs: road worker for Bear Grove Township, Robbins Restaurant, the Abe Lincoln Hotel and Restaurant, and area filling stations. After graduation he became an orderly and worked at Fayette County Hospital in the 1970s, a job he quickly grew to love and where he met the love of his life, Elizabeth. Being the selfless man he was, he gave up that job to take a position at Imco Container Company to better provide for his family. When Brenco Bearing Company located in Vandalia, he was their first employee and worked each position until becoming plant manager. Not wanting to relocate when the company consolidated, he started his own business in the early 1990s as owner of Bearings Plus, being a broker for railroad parts and equipment. As a hobby he and his wife loved going to auctions and flea markets and operating several antique booths in Marshall and Pana, Illinois. The absolute joy in his life was spending time with his dear grandsons, Eli and Isaac.
Surviving are his wife of 44 years, Elizabeth, daughter Alison and husband William (Willy) Sears of Greenville, dear grandsons Elijah and Isaac Sears, and father-in-law Kenneth Harrison.
He was preceded in death by his parents, twin brother Ronald (Ron), and infant brother Gary.
Memorials may be made to donor’s choice.