Ellamae Joann Dooley (Caldwell)

Ellamae Joann Caldwell Dooley made her final journey to Heaven at the age of 62, on the afternoon of December 9, 2014. Ellamae entered the world as the youngest of four daughters born to Lee F. and Doris L. (Davis) Caldwell of Port Orchard on May 20, 1952. From the beginning her life was not an easy one. She was born with Ichthyosis, an extremely rare skin disorder characterized by a buildup of fragile, flaky skin that was intolerant of temperature extremes. Many born with the disease don’t survive into adulthood. In her early school years she attended Frank Givens Elementary school, and started at Marcus Whitman Junior High but was homeschooled during most of her junior high and early high school years because of bullying and harassment by her peers. She returned to South Kitsap High School in her senior year and graduated in 1970. By taking classes at Tacoma Community College, she earned an Associate’s Degree in Medical Transcription and became proficient as a transcriptionist, beginning as a court recorder, transitioning to medical transcription. In 1977 she was certified as an EMT. In 1982 she began working as a transcriptionist in the Pathology Department at Madigan Army Hospital at Fort Lewis. She worked her way up to supervisor, and as the Lead Transcription Expert, was tasked with researching, designing, and implementing a major upgrade to the transcription system used at Madigan and throughout the Department of Defense. She received the Commander’s Award for Civil Service as the Outstanding Handicapped Employee of the Year in 1989 for Fort Lewis Army Base in Tacoma, Washington. Ill health forced her to retire in 2002, after 19+ years. In recent years she suffered from a number of other medical conditions that greatly impacted her ability to be mobile. She was married to Richard Kohlmeier in 1970. In the mid 70’s she took a “road trip” back to West Virginia with her sister, Francine, and also enjoyed an occasional camping trip with Francine and Bob McKinley. She married Michael Dooley in 1980, who preceded her in death. She will be remembered for her accepting personality, her tenacity and her headstrong stubbornness. If someone told her she couldn’t do something, she dug her heels in and proved them wrong. She absolutely insisted that she live in her own apartment right up to the very end. And she did!
One of her most significant contributions was being both a guinea pig and a specimen for the UW Dermatology Department. For more than 40 years, as her health permitted, she participated in the Spring Dermatology Clinics, as a “specimen”, to meet, “pose” and be examined by medical students. Dr. Philip Fleckman, Acting Division Head of the Dermatology Department at the University of Washington, said her contributions and participation over the years at these clinics have been instrumental in influencing more than 6000+ students in the medical program. Many of the faculty physicians, when bringing their students through the clinic, would remark that they remembered meeting her when they were students going through the Clinics. As a continuation of her lifelong participation in ichthyosis research, she participated as a major contributor in the identification of the genetic abnormalities that cause ichthyosis. In the early 80’s, she was a passionate advocate and appeared with actor Jack Klugman (Quincy, M.E.) in an episode of his show promoting the Waxman-Hatch Orphan Drug Act, a bill that encouraged the pharmaceutical companies to continue the manufacture of Orphan Drugs for diseases such as hers.
Ellamae’s love of music began with playing the flute in fourth grade. It was a focal point of her early adult years, and she became quite accomplished and well-known in the local church folk groups, as both a singer and instrumentalist in Port Orchard, Bremerton and Tacoma. She played flute, piano, organ, pan flute, Irish penny whistles, and guitar, as well as sang, for many years in the local Catholic churches. She pre-selected and planned most of the music for her funeral, asking, “How can I have any prayer without music?” She enjoyed being creative and during her spare time painted sun catchers and knitted hats for newborn babies and adults. She also enjoyed reading and watching TV.
She was preceded in death by her mother, grandparents, and several brothers-in-law. She is survived by her father, and three sisters, Gaylynn Broga (Don), Francine McKinley (Robert-deceased), and Dorilee Shobert (Dave Berry); along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by her family and three closest friends, Jan, Maurice and Sabrina. The family is extremely grateful for all the compassion and heartfelt care provided to her by all the medical professionals and especially her caregiver, Maurice. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Foundation for Ichthyosis & Related Skin Types (FIRST)
Attn: Ellamae Dooley Memorial
2616 N. Broad Street
Colmar, PA 18915

If someone would prefer to make a secure donation online, they can go to our websitewww.firstskinfoundation.org and click on the “Donate Now” button at the top of the home page and select the box marked Memorial Donation. When they start filling out the form, it will ask who the gift is in memory of and Ellamae’s name can be entered there.