Jewel Ann Dolley

Jewel Ann Dolley (Schneider), 85, born June 22, 1939, of Marion, Iowa, left us peacefully to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 17th, surrounded by her family. A celebration of life will be held at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa, on Saturday, June 7th.

Jewel was born June 22, 1939, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jewel grew up in Cedar Rapids and attended McKinley High School. Being born after the Great Depression and before World War II, Jewel knew what it was like to struggle in life.

Jewel had 5 brothers and 4 sisters, Ronnie Schneider, Duane Schneider, Barbara McMurrin, Kay Zach, Buck Schneider, Gabby Elliott, Danny Schneider, Denice Griffin, and Rodney Schneider.

Jewel married Gordon Dolley in 1957 and together they had 4 boys: Bill, Bart, Scott and Chad. She moved to California to be with Gordon while he was in the U.S. Navy for about 1 year. That short stay was the only time Jewel ever lived away from Cedar Rapids her entire life.

In 1960, Jewel and Gordon took on the responsibility of raising Jewel’s 4 younger siblings, Gabby, Danny, Denice and Rodney, because Jewel’s father became ill and could no longer care for them and her mother had passed away when Jewel was 18 years old.

They had a big responsibility ahead of them, but Jewel would not even think twice about allowing someone else to raise her brothers and sisters and could not imagine the thought of them being broken up and raised by separate families. This decision showed how big her heart was to help others.

Jewel enjoyed raising her children, in fact she was responsible for raising 8 children while she was in her late twenties and then took on another young man to raise. George Moody moved into their home and stayed until he graduated from high school. Jewel continued her relationship with George until her passing and in fact she considered George one of her sons.

One of her goals was to go back and finish high school. She wasn’t able to finish due to family obligations so, in 1976, she received her GED. She was very proud.

Jewel had 20 grandchildren and over 30 great grandchildren. She stayed in touch with most of them throughout her life. She could tell you their birth dates, where they were living, and a little bit about each of their lives.

She loved her family, she loved when people would visit, and she wrote everything down in her multiple notebooks she kept throughout the years. She was the type of person that would take the shirt off her back and give it to anyone that needed help.

She loved her pets and had many throughout her years. Two of her favorites were a dog named Nick, and a cat named Sneakers. She would make friends with the neighborhood animals and could tell you their names. She would feed them so they would continue to come back to see her.

She had a feisty spirit and a very big heart for her family and pets. She made friends wherever she went and never left a restaurant or any other establishment without making a friend. She had a great sense of humor and liked to laugh. People enjoyed listening to her, she could make any stranger feel welcomed and loved.

The last 5 years Jewel lived at Linn Manor Care Center in Marion, Iowa. She moved into the facility after she had fallen and wasn’t any longer capable of caring for herself. She made a lot of friends during her stay. Jewel’s family would also like to thank the people of Linn Manor for all they did to care for her in her new home.

Jewel is survived by her sons, Bill Dolley (Linda), Bart Dolley (Judy), Chad Dolley (Karen), and George Moody (Penny), along with many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and brother, Buck Schneider (Peggy). She is also survived by her siblings whom she raised, Dan Schneider (Maryann Shinrock), Denice Griffin, and Rod Schneider (Pam). She is preceded in death by her husband, Gordon Dolley; son, Scott Dolley (Sheryl); brothers, Ronnie Schneider and Duane Schneider; sisters, Barbara McMurrin, Kay Zach, and Gabby Elliott; and her grandson, Julian Dolley.

She was loved and will be missed by many. She left a mark on those she raised and those she met.

A service to celebrate Jewel’s life will be held June 7th at 10:30 a.m. at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa, followed by a luncheon. A visitation will precede the service from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids, www.crittercrusaderscr.org/donate.