Mary Linda Grohoski Dollins' Obituary
Mary Linda (Linda) Grohoski Dollins, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, nurse, and self-taught artist and crafter, passed away after a valiant battle with her illness on June 10, 2024. Her immediate family takes solace in knowing that she is now at peace and cherishes the time allotted to surround her with their love and hold her hand in comforting her. Linda was born on September 8, 1939, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Alexander Francis Grohoski and Leocadie Cambre Grohoski.
In her first few years, Linda and her family lived in Raleigh, NC, and then in Jackson, MS, where both of her parents were from and met as neighbors. Linda received her education at Mount Saint Mary Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in Little Rock, from early elementary through high school where her foundation of faith was formed and the groundwork was laid for a life of service to others and putting to use her God-given talents. Linda’s education was furthered at the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and a devout member of the church attending Mass daily. While attending UA, Linda received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through the University of Arkansas Medical School (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas.
In 1960, Linda’s parents lovingly announced her engagement to Jerry Morris Dollins, whom she met on a blind date at UA through her and Jerry’s best friends. After receiving her BSN and nursing license, Linda also became a mother and worked as an emergency room nurse at UAMS. After retiring from nursing, and following the birth of her third child, Linda lived a life of incredible productivity. Never a moment wasted, she excelled at any and every endeavor. Spawning from her deep affinity for the Christmas season, Linda began her endless artistic journey making ornaments for trees and nativity sets. Her creativity led her to become a master painter, making miniatures of Christmas trees and dollhouses, sewing clothes from original patterns, quilting stuffed animals as well as quilts from scratch, basket-weaving, furniture making, and growing beautiful gardens worthy of charging admission at each of her homes in Little Rock, Tulsa, and Fayetteville.
Other than spending time with her family and her furry felines and canines, Linda enjoyed true-crime mysteries and traveling, especially throughout New England and across the Atlantic. She was an avid reader, devout Catholic, lifetime learner, and expert genealogist (before genealogy was readily available through the use of modern DNA tools) who had a wicked sense of humor, with clever wit, and was adamant about emphasizing the importance of not wasting anything – whether it is food, resources, time, talents, productivity, intelligence, or life.
Linda is survived by Jerry, her faithful husband of 64 years, her three adoring children in which she took great pride in raising (an artist, a doctor, and an attorney), many grand-daughters, great grandchildren, nieces, and other caring family members who will hold her memory close to their hearts. She is preceded in death by her grandson, a granddaughter, her only brother, only sister, and parents. Linda will be deeply missed by her immediate and extended family. Her lifelong faith and unwavering commitment to her family will continue to inspire and serve as a shining example to those who had the fortune and pleasure of knowing her.
Linda’s immediate family would like to express their gratitude to the Washington Regional Hospice nurses and the kind nurses in the Memory Care Unit at the Ciel of Fayetteville who helped care for her.
A graveside service will be held on June 14th, 2024, at 10AM, at St. Joseph Cemetery in Fayetteville with friend Deacon Bud Baldwin officiating.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Celia Dollins Cat Room at the Springdale Animal Shelter on Don Tyson Parkway in Springdale, Arkansas, or to Vascular Dementia Research and Treatment through the Alzheimer's Association. To place an online tribute or memory, please visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com.
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