Clarissa Jane Gadient

Clarissa Jane (Dolan) Gadient

December 30, 1958-June 12, 2023

Clarissa Jane (Dolan) Gadient passed peacefully on Monday, June 12 after a courageous battle with cancer. An informal celebration of life will be held in Davenport later this fall.

Clarissa was born December 30, 1958 in New Hampton, Iowa to James and Alberta (O'Brien) Dolan. She was the fifth of six children, the third of four daughters. She attended Sacred Heart Cathedral School and graduated from Davenport Central High School in 1978, where she was particularly fond of ceramics. She cherished her time on Perry Street with her parents, five siblings, and neighborhood cohort. Clarissa remained in the Quad Cities, where she raised her two children. She held many jobs and excelled at making friends wherever she was employed.

Clarissa was reckless in her love of others. She was the fool that rushed in where angels fear to tread, extending her time, energy, love, and home to folks in need. She made friends effortlessly. A quick run to the store often turned into an epic journey as she encountered or made new friends in every aisle (much to her children's dismay and chagrin). She will be remembered for her warm, mischievous smile and infectious laugh.

Clarissa was a particularly skilled orator with a comic flair. She had an extensive repertoire of jokes that she wielded readily. She loved music, poetry, history, underdogs, and the human condition. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Andrea Noth and Petra Dolan, her brother John Dolan, and her partner Stevie Kroeger. She is survived by her siblings Christopher Dolan and Liz (Tom) Tacheny, her children James and Katie (Ted) Gadient, her two granddaughters and her many nieces, nephews, and friends.