Thomas J. Dolan | Realty executive, 84

Thomas J. Dolan, 84, of Blue Bell, a Philadelphia real estate professional whose expertise was in putting together commercial deals, died Friday, Nov. 30, of cancer at Westgate Hills Nursing Center in Havertown.

For 50 years, he negotiated and helped finance many commercial projects in Philadelphia and Manhattan.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Dolan was raised in Upper Darby and graduated in 1946 from Upper Darby High School. In 1950, Mr. Dolan married Lora Marcolina. The two met while summering in Beach Haven, N.J.

From 1959 to 1963, he served as a commissioned first lieutenant in the Army Reserve.

He took a job with George K. Heebner Co., an industrial developer and engineering firm, and rose to vice president of sales. Later, he joined Bankers Bond & Mortgage Co. of Philadelphia as vice president for commercial loans. During the 1970s, he served as an executive vice president of Jackson Cross Co.

He then took a leadership role with the Episcopal Diocese of New York. As executive vice president of operations, Mr. Dolan lined up the land lease under 101 Ave. of the Americas, where Edward J. Minskoff developed a $100 million office tower.

Mr. Dolan's last job was as a long-distance consultant for Fairfield Residential, a developer of luxury apartment communities in La Jolla, Calif.

He was a longtime member of the Union League of Philadelphia, and loved reading Philadelphia history in its library. He also enjoyed spending time with family and on the water in his boat, the Lorrie, named after his wife. She died 20 years ago.

Surviving are sons Tom, Chris and David, and eight grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass is set for 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at Epiphany of our Lord Church, 3050 Walton Rd., Plymouth Meeting. Mr. Dolan's ashes will be placed in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham.

Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.