Ann (don't call her Edith) Dooley, 85, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2018 in Belmont, California.

Ann was born in Bentonville, Arkansas to parents Edith and Jack on April 7, 1932. Shortly after her birth, the family joined the great Dust Bowl migration and soon became chicken ranchers in Porterville, California. Raised largely by her widowed mother, Ann and her brother Jack soon became masters at egg collecting, plucking feathers and making top notch fried chicken. After selling the farm, the family moved to San Jose where Ann became a proud graduate of San Jose High School. This was followed by a degree from UC Berkeley and then a RN degree from UCSF in 1957. Ann proudly served the Bay Area nursing community for many years working in San Francisco hospitals and at the San Mateo Medical Clinic.

While working in San Francisco, Ann meet Michael Dooley, a dashing young Irishman, and the two were married in 1957. To escape the San Francisco fog, the couple moved to Millbrae where they were soon blessed with a colicky infant named Richard who would be the couple's only child. Ann and Michael spent the next 40 years in Millbrae. Following Michael's passing in 2003, Ann moved to San Carlos to be closer to her son's family.

Ann's passions for life were many and ranged from salmon fishing on the "Wacky Jacky" to the San Francisco Opera. She was an avid gardener, San Francisco Giants fan, international traveler and genealogist who could trace her roots to both British Royalty and heroes of the Revolutionary War.

Her legacy lives on through her son Richard, grandchildren Jack and Shannon, and her many friends and family members.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you take yourself out to a nice dinner and offer a toast to her wonderful life.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all the good folks at Colonial Oaks in Belmont and Calcare Hospice who took such good care of Ann in her final days.

A private family celebration of life will be held at a future date at St. John's Cemetery in San Mateo.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Mar. 12 to Mar. 18, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Edith Dooley

Sponsored by Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

5 Entries

Joanna (Maravelias) Dixon

April 17, 2018

I knew Ann through my mother, Anna Maravelias. They worked together at San Mateo Medicl Clinic and later for Dr. Cody and Dr. Switky. Ann and my mom were great friends. They attended baseball games together, fished on the Wacky Jackie together, and of course worked together. I remember seeing them in the office chatting and giggling together. They were great friends. I am sorry to learn of her passing. We were all blessed to have known Ann. She was funny, smart, kind, and a great nurse. She will be missed by many. God bless her and her family. May she rest in eternal peace.

Vernon Holt

April 13, 2018

diMy Mother Clara Morgan Holt and Ann's Mother Edith Nordholm Jones corresponded for years, also with Aunt Edith's sisters Mabel and Julia who visited us in SD and relatives in IA. I remember really being impressed by Frank and Mabel Crawford I think because they showed up in a nice Ford Model A coupe. Aunt Edith loved to travel by train and so do I. I believe Ann's brother Jack are a few years older than Ann. We spent four months in 1965 on temporary assignment in Mountain View, CA and took our four to visit most of the Nordholm and Holt and Morgan relatives and Disneyland etc. We live near Leslie Morneweck, Julia's daughter. Mother took care of "Aunt lizzy Nordholm" Junaliza my grandmother until 1934 age ~85.

Jean McDonald

April 7, 2018

I first met Ann when we were in the 8th Grade at Roosevelt Jr. High School; we lived near her home and the San Jose State College (Teacher's College). Since they had an upstairs, LARGE, bedroom, gathering space, we had many "sleep-overs," and the boys would climb the trees outside to get a good look, until we figured out a way to keep them from being "peeping Toms" - which didn't last very long; they were persistent! After graduating from our various colleges, we scattered to other locations, and Ann visited me, my husband and infant children in Denver! Over the years, our Girl Friends met in various CA locations, especially along the Coast; we never gave up on our friendships!!!
And I won't give up remembering Ann, especially since my Mother also died from complications with Parkinson's Disease and cancer. May Ann rest in Peace. Sincerely, Jean Hutchinson Dodd McDonald.

Jo Whitehouse

April 6, 2018

I am grateful that Ann's obituary captured her passions - for family and friends, for gardening and fishing, for opera and the Giants... I agree that her legacy lives in Richard and his family. And I agree to keep her in my thoughts - and in my heart.

IRENE A..

March 26, 2018

MAY THE FAMILY FIND COMFORT DURING THIS TIME OF GRIEF PLEASE TRUST IN ALMIGHTY GOD HE BIND UP THE BROKEN HEARTED AND COMFORT THOSE WHO MOURN YOU HAVE MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES. ISAIAH 61;1-3, PSALM 83;18.

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