Dolores Moira Cullinane

In Loving Memory of Dolores Moira Cullinane

Dolores was born on February 1, 1931, to Michael and Mary McGuire, the sixth of seven children. At 94, she was cherished by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as by her many nieces and nephews. Her warmth, steady love, and gentle spirit touched every part of the McGuire and Cullinane families, and she was the last living member of our parents’ generation.

Fondly known as Doey to friends and family, she attended St. Alphonsus Grade School, Holy Angels High School and Seattle University.

Dolores’ father, Michael, died when she was just nine years old. Subsequently, her mother Mary, began working the graveyard shift as a Registered Nurse to support her and siblings; Michael "Mickey", Catherine, Dominic "Don", Mary, Patricia “Sister Angelica” and John.

Influenced by her mother’s demonstrably strong work ethic, Dolores, worked full time to finance her education at Seattle University, first at Jorgensen Steel and later at the Seattle Post Intelligencer. It was at Seattle University where she met her future husband John B. Cullinane. The two were married on January 17, 1953, and remained steadfastly devoted to each other until John's death on December 10, 2014.

Dolores and John were devout Catholics and raised their four children accordingly. The two held the strong conviction that this was the most important gift that they could bestow to their children. She always told us “your faith is the greatest gift and inheritance I can give you”.

Dolores and John were devoted to the Marian movement of priests and were longstanding members of the Serra Club of Seattle in support of priestly formation, as well as their First Saturday Mass and Rosary groups.

Dolores volunteered for many years at Good Shepherd School for Girls until its closure in 1973. She also dedicated countless hours in service at St. Catherine’s Church and School, especially during the annual Christmas bazaars. It was through this work that her first business, Trees by Doey, was born—a venture in which she crafted decorative miniature Christmas trees, each one meticulously assembled by hand. What began as a small project quickly grew; in addition to selling her creations directly, she gained clients such as the Bon Marché and Frederick & Nelson. As her reputation flourished, she was even invited to decorate the Seattle Space Needle and several Washington Mutual bank branches.

In a similar spirit, Dolores’ second business grew from a simple desire to help her friends have beautiful floral arrangements for their weddings without the high cost of fresh flowers. She noticed that the duct tape she used to secure the flowers left a sticky residue, and this sparked an idea: pew clips that could hold flowers on church pews during the ceremony and then be removed and reused at the reception. This practical solution helped her friends save money while keeping Father happy. The idea became Doey’s Vase Clamps, a business that continues today under her daughter Cathy, carrying forward Dolores’ original vision alive.

Dolores’ accomplishments as a businesswoman would not have come as a surprise to anyone who knew Dolores as a young girl who just happened to live next door to a golf course. Dolores and her siblings would retrieve lost golf balls, clean them up, and sell them back to golfers the next morning as new, or at least, as a reasonable facsimile thereof.

During her years running the businesses, Dolores relied on her husband John’s accounting expertise, and together they made a great team.

Her warm smile and personable nature helped her build strong relationships throughout her life—both in business and personally. She maintained lifelong friendships dating back to grade school and, though she made friends easily, she never took for granted the value of each one.

Dolores, was devoted to the practice and profession of her Catholic faith. Dolores attended daily mass and prayed multiple Rosaries for the intentions of friends and family on a daily basis. She strived to live up to her deeply ingrained Catholic values.

Raised by a widowed mother during the Depression, Dolores remained an eternal optimist. Though she grew up poor, she was always mindful that her mother and aunts—who were raised in an orphanage run by Italian nuns—had faced far greater hardships.

Though she herself may be characterized as slightly more vociferous, Dolores greatly admired the quiet strength and resolve of her mother, Mary McGuire, as well as the feistier nature of her father, Michael McGuire, as evidenced by his role as a union organizer, which lent to his reputation as a rabble rouser. Both parents imbued Dolores with the philosophy that one should never give up or quit one’s deeply held beliefs and/or convictions. To this maxim, she held true throughout her life. She never quit any endeavor she entered into. She deemed it important to impart this same imperative to her own children.

Dolores deeply valued family, a lesson she learned from her mother, and extended that love to every child in her care. With her husband John, she welcomed Fred Jameson into their home as a foster child, embracing him fully as part of the family. When Fred struggled with reading and was told he would never learn, Dolores refused to accept it. She patiently spent countless hours teaching him—from basic phonics to full reading comprehension. Today, Fred is a voracious reader, a love of books that began with Dolores’ unwavering care and the sense of belonging she provided, reflecting her persistent and compassionate spirit.

Dolores is survived by her children: Ann Frodel (Pat), Cathy Skraba (Jim), Pat and Mike Cullinane, foster son: Fred Jameson, her adored grandchildren: Jacob Van Dlac, Corey Van Dlac (Amanda), Mataya Skraba and John Michael Skraba and great grandchildren: Forrest Van Dlac and Lennox Van Dlac.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Dolores’ preferred charities:

Pro Life Organization of your choice

Priests For Life https://www.priestsforlife.org

Serra Club of Seattle https://theserrafoundation.org/donate

Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute https://soundchoice.org/donate

Please share memories & sign the guestbook, located below.

Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home ~ Lake View of Seattle, WA