Carmen Schaeffer Dolan

Carmen Jean Dolan (Schaeffer), 93, passed away August 28, 2025, at Richmond Senior Care, Shoreline, WA. She was born Dec. 1, 1931, in Waubay, South Dakota.

The child of hard-working farming parents and the Depression, Carmen was frugal and took pleasure is simple things like devouring a McDonald’s ice cream cone or reading an Amish romance novel. Carmen was a superb baker of cookies and pies. She passed that skill and passion on to her granddaughter Wayana. Carmen loved gardening, especially roses and strawberries. She volunteered for many years at the Shoreline Learning Center, helping children with their reading skills. Carmen folk danced at the Cedar Valley Grange and sang for many years with the Sound Singers chorus. She LOVED her cats. She found spiritual connection at the Mountlake Terrace First Baptist Church and FOCAS (Fellowship of Christian Adult Singles).

Heartfelt thanks to the staff of Richmond Senior Care for the loving care they provided.

Carmen was preceded in death by her parents: Bessie Schaeffer (Berry) and Arvid Schaeffer: twin sister Carol Crance; sisters: Irene Winterberg, Cecelia Hieb, and Mary Butterworth and brothers, Lawrence, Paul and Roger. She is survived by sisters: Ruth Madsen, Deanna Munsch and Dixie Garr: sons Chuck Dolan and Ted Dolan, daughters-in-law Bunny Hirschmann and Allison Dolan, granddaughter Wayana Dolan and step-granddaughter Brianna Holmstrom.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Sound Singers Chorus of the Edmonds Waterfront Center at https://www.edmondswaterfrontcenter.org/donate/