MCDONALD, DOLORES MARIE - 10/03/1929 to 12/23/2013
Dolores, 84, was the matriarch of her family; the glue; the soul. She had been a resident of Heritage Harbour in Annapolis for 26 years, however she spent the last three and a half years in Davidsonville with her daughter Jane due to illness.
Married at age 17 to Roland "Gene" Eugene Gray, the two created her proudest life accomplishment; their children. They had four children over 13 years Jane Marie Sykes of Davidsonville, MD, Everett "Tim" Eugene Gray of Milton, DE, Anna Lee Trammell of St. Leonard, MD and the late James "Jimmy" Melvin Gray. After 22 wonderful years and at age 38, she became a widow. Dolores felt love and experienced loss with not just one, but with two more husbands; the late Glenn Hampton for 22 years who passed in 1995 and the late William "Bill" McDonald for 13 years having just recently passed in August 2012.
At age 13, Dolores was the youngest graduate from Chamberlain Vocational School in D.C. Not yet old enough to leave school and work full time in her trade of cosmetology, she took a bookkeeping class and enrolled in the early release program which enabled her to work at her mother's salon on Pennsylvania Avenue where she remained until she married and started her family. She then worked in her home salon and eventually ventured into business with her mother yet again and opened Dolores and Marie's Beauty Salon and Hair Designs for Men and Women in Upper Marlboro, MD. She had the joy of not only working with her mother, the late Ruth Marie Chaney, for 36 years but also with both of her daughters who are still working in the trade today. At 52, Dolores transitioned into real estate and worked with Coldwell Banker and then Long & Foster for 10 years working with both of her sons selling custom homes for Gray Enterprises, Timmy's business. Before retiring, she returned to her roots and worked for Jane's business Lady Jane Hair Works, helping to keep the salon flowing smoothly and clients happy.
The last decade of her life was badgered with illness which started with the MRSA infection after a knee replacement causing the loss of her right leg. Regardless of the hurdles, she fought the fight and displayed the drive and determination that runs deep in her veins. Her joys were her family, home, giving service and pleasing people. Her greatest attribute was her positive attitude in life itself and inadvertently being a role model for those who knew her. Her church, when attending, was Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Loch Haven Edgewater.
She is survived by her sister Linda Lee Crum of Katy, TX; three children, Jane, Tim and Anna; eight granddaughters, Shannon Reese, Selene Annadale, Julie Klara, Megan Kitburee, Chasity Kisling, Jessica Trammell-Purner, Rebecca Clark and Elizabeth Trammell and 14 great grandchildren.
Friends are invited to Dolores' Life Celebration from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8pm on Friday, December 27 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd. Edgewater where her funeral service will be held at 11am on Saturday, December 28. Interment will follow at Lakemont Memorial Gardens in Davidsonville. Hospice of the Chesapeake provided compassionate care and service making it possible for Dolores to be in the comfort of her home for the past 10 months; thank you. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Hwy., Pasadena, MD 21122. An online guestbook is available at www.kalasfuneralhomes.com
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