Dolores Connell Love

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Dolores Jean Smith Connell Love, 89, former resident of Columbia, died Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at her daughter’s Smyrna residence where she had lived since 2021.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday, May 6, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Jeremy Butt, Mike Kesler, Jared McLeod and Josh Vires officiating.   Burial will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens.  The family will visit with friends Sunday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Monday from 12:00 noon until 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Healing Hands International for the Walk4Water Program, 455 McNally Drive Nashville, TN 37211.  Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Dolores was born on September 16, 1934 in Columbia, TN to the late Clarence Goodman “Dutch” Smith and the late Ernestine Timmons Smith.  She graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1952 and then graduated from Columbia Business College.  On February 11, 1956 she married Joseph Dalton Connell who preceded her in death on August 21, 1979. On September 16, 1989 she married Dinning E. Love and he preceded her in death on August 17, 1994.  Dolores loved and cared for children all her life. She enjoyed fishing, country music, Elvis music, road trips, picnics, and spending time with her family.  She retired from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services after 30 plus years of service. Dolores was a member of West 7^th Street Church of Christ where she was baptized in 1969, and in recent years she has been a part of Smyrna Church of Christ.

Survivors include her daughters, Judy Connell McLeod (Kenny) of Henderson, Sandra Connell Jones (Noel) of Smyrna, and Nancy Love Morrison (Harold) of Nashville; five grandchildren, Kimberly McLeod Vires (Josh), Jared McLeod (Michelle), Natalie Jones, Sarah Jones and Amy Morrison; great grandchildren, Baileigh Vires, Canaan Vires, Janie Vires, Connor McLeod, Landon McLeod, Addison McLeod and Forest Morrison Gorrell; and several special nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by her sister Winona Ann Smith Grant in 2015 and sister Caryl Smith who passed in her infancy.

Pallbearers will be deacons and elders of West 7^th Street Church of Christ.  

The family would like to express sincere appreciation to her past and present caregivers and to Alive Hospice.