Gregory J. Dole

DELMAR - Gregory Joseph Dole, Sr. 91 passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Albany Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. Greg was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was born at his family home in Langford, NY on October 9, 1920, to Edward and Rose Dole (Spengler.) He graduated at age 16, Valedictorian, from North Collins High School in June 1937. He started working for AT&T in Fredonia, NY in May 194l. Greg volunteered for the Army in August 1942 and was transferred to Camp Crowder in Missouri for the rest of his career in the Army. Greg was in charge of training the troops for operating the mobile telephone carrier system and headed up the course and training lessons for the troops going to the Pacific during WWII. After Greg was discharged on February 9, 1946, he received the Legion of Merit Medal from the War Department in Washington, D.C. After leaving the Army, he continued his career with AT&T, where he eventually was transferred to Albany. He retired in January 1979. Greg was a long-standing member of the American Legion, The Elks Club and the Telephone Pioneers. Greg was predeceased by his loving wife of 48-1/2 years, Marion I. Dole (Hoen). He is survived by his six children, Gregory J. Dole, Jr. of Albany, NY, Margaret (John) Butterfield of Williston, VT, Martha (William) Tompkins of Castleton, NY, Michael (Sheryl) Dole of West Sand Lake, NY, Kathleen (Albert) Kecken of Fort Mill, SC ,and Lawrence (Elizabeth) Dole of Delmar, NY. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 2 great- grandchildren, as well as two brothers, Dennis (Rae) Dole of Jamesville, NY and Roger (Margery) Dole of Chaffee, NY. Greg enjoyed life to the fullest and always had a kind word to say. He loved gardening and tending to his yard, tinkering with electronics and completing crossword puzzles. He was an avid Syracuse University basketball and football fan and a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. Greg will be truly missed by his family and friends. The Dole family would like to express their deepest appreciation for the compassionate care that Greg received while he was a patient at Albany Medical Center. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Applebee Funeral Home at 403 Kenwood Avenue in Delmar on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 10am in the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle. Internment, Calvary Cemetery, Glenmont In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place , Memphis, TN 38105 or to the American Heart Association P.O. Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220-3049.