During the last week of the 102nd General Assembly, representative Stephanie Kifowit and State senator Karina Villa successfully passed House Joint Resolution 0089 (HJR0089) to pay tribute to U.S. Navy Veteran and legendary Aurora community leader Dan Dolan, Sr.. On the resolution were fellow House chief co-sponsors, representatives Barbara Hernandez, Maura Hirschauer, and Keith Wheeler.
The Resolution names the section of State Route 31 in Aurora from East Illinois Avenue to East Indian Trail Road as “Dan Dolan Way.”
Mr. Dolan died in February 2020 in Fountain Hills, Ariz. a after spending the majority of his life in Aurora.
“I was so saddened to hear of Dan Dolan Sr.’s passing, he always had a smile that was infectious to anyone he talked to,” said Kifowit. “He was an iconic figure in Aurora, always putting community first. Few people have had a more positive effect on the city of Aurora than Mr. Dolan with his generosity and contributions to youth programs, along with his work ethic, which started in the Navy and continued with his work as a pots and pans salesman, firefighter, mailman and then with real estate company Dolan and Murphy Inc.”
“The Dolan family is a staple in the Aurora community,” said Villa. “I am proud to honor Dan Dolan by renaming a portion of Route 31 “Dan Dolan Way’.
Mr. Dolan grew up in Aurora and went to East Aurora High School. He believed that once a Tomcat, you were always a Tomcat. After high school, he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Knapp destroyer during the Korean Conflict. He was a successful real estate developer having established Dolan and Murphy Inc. in the 1960s. His real estate company sponsored the Shamrocks fast pitch softball team for more than 35 years. He was inducted into the International Softball Congress (ISC) Hall of Fame in 2016. He was proud of his involvement with Aurora Boys Baseball for more than 50 years.
— State representative Stephanie Kifowit