James Joseph Dooley

March 25, 1947 - March 4, 2012

GENEVA - James J. Dooley, past long-tenured President and CEO of Finger Lakes Health, institutional icon, community leader, youth advocate, hockey coach, friend, mentor, and most importantly, beloved husband and father, passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2012 after suffering a significant cardiac event on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 while in Florida. Friends may call at the DeVaney-Bennett Funeral Home, 181 N. Main St., Geneva, on Friday, March 9, 2012 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 10, 2012 in St. Stephen's Church. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to be made to Finger Lakes Health Foundation or St. Anselm College. Dooley, born in Boston, and a native of Dorchester, Massachusetts attended St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, majoring in Biology as an undergraduate and earned his Master's in Health Administration from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He worked at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania before making Geneva his home and the center of his professional and community life. He was the son of the late John and Anna Culhane Dooley. Dooley, 64, was hired as Administrator at Geneva General Hospital in 1978 when there were approximately 400 employees. Geneva General Hospital's evolution into Finger Lakes Health, a 696-bed multi-entity health system, through affiliating with Taylor-Brown Memorial Hospital &Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital and incorporating several long-term care facilities is attributed to Dooley's vision and leadership. His professional involvement included being a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, serving on the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board, serving as a board member and chair of the Rochester Regional Healthcare Association (RRHA) and leader of RRHA's Joint Ventures, board member of the Healthcare Association of New York State, founding member of VHA Empire/ Metro Charter Board Member and Chair, and Chair of VHA Foundation. Dooley's contributions to area youth and our community are equally notable. An unwavering youth advocate, Dooley is credited with development of the Geneva General Childcare Center which has served thousands of children and currently serves 160 area families. He also helped found the Geneva Youth Hockey program, served on the America's Promise Alliance for Youth National Advisory Board, and most recently served as Chair of the Geneva Community Center Advisory Board. Ever active in the community, Dooley served on the Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce from 1994-2006 in various capacities including Government Relations Chair. He also served on the YMCA board, Jobs for Geneva, and Catholic Charities of the Finger Lakes. He has been honored by Catholic Charities, as the recipient of the "Sharing the Light" award in 2001, the Boy Scouts of America, Finger Lakes Council, selected him as Distinguished Citizen in 2003, and he was recognized as Monroe County Hockey League "Coach of the Year" in 1996 and 1999, when he served as Head Hockey Coach of Geneva/DeSales High Schools. Jim was a long time member of Geneva Country Club, where he enjoyed golfing. Jim was well-loved, and was recognized by students, athletes, and colleagues as the consummate coach and mentor. Jim is survived by his wife, Caryl, and their two children, Paul and Katelyn (Conor Ashe). He is also survived by brothers John (Mary Ann) Dooley and William (Martha) Dooley and sisters, Margaret (Clifton) Hoey and Jane (Daniel) Zailskas. He was pre-deceased by sisters and brother-in-law: Catherine Thayer and Anna Mary and Walter Stewart.