Sona Dolan

"Sona (Kim) Dolan, 60, of Belchertown died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014 at her home. Born in Pusan, South Korea, she was the daughter of the late Ju Mu Kim and Mu Yeon Bae. Sona received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Pusan National Fisheries University, and her doctorate degree from Clark University. She was one of the first Korean women Phycologists to earn her doctorate in the USA. After completing her training she taught at Westfield State University and Holyoke Community College. She also worked as a research associate at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, studying Korean-American smoking habits. Sona was employed at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she studied the use of algae to remove nutrients from wastewater. She was a devout Christian who enjoyed attending Sunday Vespers service at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer. Sona enjoyed her visits to the Rhode Island coast where she would gather algae samples for research. She is survived by her husband of 21 years, Michael F. Dolan, two brothers, Dong Yup Kim of Pusan and Young June Kim of Seoul, and a sister, Hee Yong Kim of Pusan, her sisters-in-law, Patricia Daigle of North Falmouth, MA and Mary Small of Leicester, MA, along with several nephews and nieces. While she had no children of her own, she stood in as a parent for numerous sons and daughters of Korean family members and friends when they came to the US to study English and attend high school or college. A Funeral Service will be on Friday, Feb. 21 at 11:00 at Beers and Story Belchertown Funeral Home, 10 Maple St. (Rt. 202). Burial will follow in Lake Vale Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Baystate Regional Cancer Program, Mary Lane Hospital, 85 South Street, Ware, MA 01082. "