Wilma "Jean" Dooley

Wilma "Jean" Dooley, age 90 of Custer, passed away on Friday, September 14th in Bellingham. She was predeceased by her husband James Dooley. She is survived by her daughter Donna and five sons; Kelly, Greg, Gary, Bob, and Bill, nine grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

She rew up in Alabama and was married three times; the last one to Jim Dooley for 40 years.

She came from a large family. Her three brothers Jeff, Bob and Cyril all preceded her in death. Her sister’s Jody, Judy and Peggy are still living.

Bill remembers his Dad telling him that during the great depression Mom and he would jump the box cars from Alabama to Louisiana to look for work. She was a "Rosie Riveter", as well as she soldered motor windings with her sister Jody during World War II.

She was a Navy wife for 20 years so the family moved around often. All but one of her children were born in Navy hospitals in different states the last one being on Guam. While living on Guam she worked as a lounge singer in a great costume with fish net stockings. Donna says she loved to watch her Mom get ready for work; she looked so beautiful.

Her husband Jim retired from Widbey Island Navy base and they bought a farm in Custer Wa. And Jim started working at Intalco. Jean loved to garden and took a lot of pride in her vegetable garden and canning. Greg remembers that his Mom was the first woman den mother for the Cub Scouts in Whatcom County. He was very proud of that. She was Den Mother for troop 33 in Custer. They later moved to Acme Wa. Where they bought the Ranch Tavern that they ran for 18 years. They loved the area and the people there.

When they sold the tavern they bought a motor home and planned to spend their later years traveling, but her husband Jim died less than a year later. Jean took the motor home and went to Arizona where two of her sons and family lived. She bought a home there and stayed for several years eventually moving back to Custer area. She was always an adventurist and loved to travel with her children, stopping and showing them everything along the way.

She was a loving mother and had great pride in her children and their families. In the last year her favorite times were when her daughter would bring Alexis her great granddaughter up to visit. She loved watching her run around. Her son Kelly says she was his "Great Advisor". He would always go to her when he needed advise about life’s adversities. One of the things about Jean was you never had to wonder what was on her mind. She would let you know for good or bad. Jean's Faith was strong and we are sure that Jim was the first one waiting with the Lord with his arms open to give her a giant hug.

She was a wonderful mother and will be missed greatly by all her children.