Dolores Ann Mahan, 86, passed away peacefully on July 1st, 2023 in Lehi, Utah surrounded by family. She is predeceased by her parents, husband, eight brothers, three sisters, and one stepdaughter.
Dolores was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1936 to Ernest Edwin Gilmore and Odie Lanham. She was the eleventh of thirteen children. She often talked about her idyllic childhood and wonderful parents and truly enjoyed the community of growing up as one of the youngest in a very large family. She learned to sing and dance as a child and performed in the trio “the Gilmore Sisters” with her sisters Barbara and Faye during her teen years. She graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama, then attended college at Montreat College near Ashville, North Carolina, and Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dolores knew Billy Graham while at Montreat where she taught Sunday school and babysat for Reverend Graham’s children. She later worked for the president of the University of Alabama where she knew football legend Joe Namath. She started four dancing schools in the Atlanta, Georgia suburbs and later worked as a forensic auditor with her husband of forty years, retired U.S. Army Colonel James J. Mahan.
Dolores was an avid gardener and lover of flowers, especially roses. She proudly considered herself a “rosarian” and was an active member and treasurer of her local American Rose Society. During her early retirement years, she learned to paint and completed many beautiful paintings that still adorn the homes of her children. She maintained a well-equipped sewing shop and created beautiful dresses for her granddaughters for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She also started a small business making various types of pillows and other elegant sewing crafts. She was a member of Burnt Hickory Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia during her later years.
During her last several years living in Utah, staff at her assisted living often commented on how sweet she was and were charmed by her slight southern accent and “the best hair in the place.” During her life, she lived in Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Utah. Dolores was a dedicated wife, a wonderful mother, and grandmother, and a sweet gentle soul who loved her husband and family.
Dolores is survived by her sister Barbara Crumpton of Montgomery, Alabama, her daughter Beverly Mooney and her wife, Carmen of Sevierville, Tennessee, son Vincent Mooney and his wife, Wendy of Saratoga Springs, Utah, stepson Jim Mahan and his wife, Cher of Cary, North Carolina, stepson Philip Mahan of Savannah, Georgia, stepdaughter Suzanne Mahan of Wilmington, North Carolina, stepson Ronald Mahan and his wife, Rita of Alpharetta, Georgia, three grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, and five step-great-grandchildren.
In place of flowers, contributions in memory of Dolores may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or your favorite charity.
The family would like to thank the staff of Dogwood Forest Assisted Living in Acworth, Georgia, Bellaview Assisted Living and Memory Care in Lehi, Utah, and Holy Cross Mountain Point Hospital in Lehi, Utah for the wonderful care they provided Dolores in the final years of her life.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, July 15th at 11:00 am at Utah Valley Mortuary located at 1966 West 700 North, Lindon, Utah. A Visitation will be held before the service at 10:30 am. The following link has been provided to view the funeral services in Utah: https://my.gather.app/remember/dolores-mahan-2023
Funeral Services in Georgia will be held on Tuesday, July 25th, at 11:30 am, at Heritage Funeral Home and Chapel in Marietta, Georgia with Pastor Marty Godfrey officiating. Graveside Services to follow in the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia at 1:30 pm.
https://www.heritagefuneralchapel.com/obituaries/Dolores-Ann-Mahan?obId=28400003