Helen Ann Dolan, philanthropist who supported educational institutions on Long Island and beyond, dies at 96

Philanthropist and artist Helen Ann Dolan of Cove Neck has died of natural causes, her family said. She was 96.

Dolan, who died Saturday, had a talent for painting, drawing and music, and she always made family her first priority, daughter Deborah Dolan-Sweeney said.

“She believed that part of the way to build a great family is to keep your interests,” said Dolan-Sweeney, who described her mother as “gracious, elegant and loving.”

And she was never afraid to take on new challenges, her daughter said, conquering a fear of swimming and learning how to speak French at age 50. A few years later, the accomplished pianist started playing the cello and performed with the Long Island Orchestra. She also was a supporter of programs in her Oyster Bay community, including through serving on the board of trustees for the Community Foundation of Oyster Bay.

Dolan and her husband, Cablevision founder Charles Dolan, were married for 73 years and went on to have six children, 22 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The Dolans are longtime supporters of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and educational institutions, including Friends Academy in Locust Valley, Fairfield University in Connecticut and John Carroll University in Cleveland, where they met more than 70 years ago.

“An honorary trustee of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Helen Dolan will always be remembered fondly here for her humility and generosity,” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory president and CEO Bruce Stillman said in a statement.

“Together with Chuck, she was a strong supporter of bringing hands-on lab experiences to Long Island’s middle and high schools through CSHL’s DNA Learning Center,” he said. “Thanks to the Dolans, we have made promising strides in pancreas cancer research, where our partnership with The Lustgarten Foundation is strong. We honored both Helen and Chuck with a Double Helix Medal in 2017.”

The couple also funded the Charles and Helen Dolan Center for Science and Technology at John Carroll University, the Helen A. Dolan Center at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, which includes a 400-seat theater, art studios and a dining hall, and the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University.

That school’s vice president of marketing and communications, Jennifer Anderson, said in a statement that “the vision, generosity, and stewardship of Mrs. Dolan and her husband Charles F. Dolan have been integral to the transformation of Fairfield University.”

Dolan, born Helen Burgess in Cleveland in 1926, attended the same high school as Charles Dolan. But they did not meet until they were both students at John Carroll University, according to the book “Charles Dolan and the Cablevision Journey” by Peternelle Van Arsdale. Helen described herself as “introverted and artistic,” and started taking Saturday classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art at age 7.

By the time she was 12, the promising young artist had received a scholarship to the Cleveland School of Art. Her parents, according to the book, discouraged her interest in art because they worried it would not lead to a steady, reliable job.

She met Charles Dolan in a logic class at John Carroll University, and they immediately connected, taking courses together and making plans to marry just several months later. They were married on July 4, 1950, and spent their honeymoon driving from Cleveland to Texas, stopping to pitch the idea for their new company to radio stations: selling live broadcasts with commentary of sporting events.

The two remained a strong team, building the pioneering cable television business that would later become Cablevision and raising their children on Long Island.

Dolan-Sweeney said she remembered trips to the Vanderbilt Planetarium, picnics and other family activities.

“We just always did things together and always with Dad right by her side,” she said. “They did everything together.”

Dolan is survived by her husband, Charles; their children Patrick Dolan, Thomas Dolan, James Dolan, Marianne Dolan-Weber, Kathleen Dolan and Deborah Dolan-Sweeney; and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Community Foundation of Oyster Bay.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.