Mary E. Dolinger was born September, 29th 1960 in Galax Virginia to the late Enoch Rutherford and Virginia "Louise" Studivant.  She lived all her life in the Gold Hill Community outside of Independence. Mary passed away January 11th, 2024 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, NC.

To know Mary was to love her. Her generous heart, outgoing attitude, and quick wit always brought a smile to everyone she met. She was the ultimate caregiver.  She was a nurse at Waddell Nursing home in Galax for close to 40 years. The compassion she showed to her patients and their families was unwavering. Nursing was her calling.  Even after her retirement she continued to be a caregiver to her family.

The most important thing to Mary was her family. She spent 30 years with her husband Bobby of the home.  She always made sure her family had what they needed regardless of her sacrifice. She loved her daughters Amanda and Kristy unconditionally and always made sure they felt loved and supported.  Mary and her daughters shared a very strong bond that could never be broken.  Mary's greatest accomplishment in her eyes was being a Granny.  She shared a bond with her granddaughter Kiley that no one else could touch.   She cherished every moment they spent together and was so proud to be called Granny.

Mary shared a special bond with her niece Angel, nephew Allen, brother Harvey, stepfather Herbert, great nieces and nephews, sister-in-laws Janet, Judy, Joyce, Juanita, Jenny, and Jody, and brother-in-law Billy.  Everyone loved Momma.

In recent years she had learned to slow down a bit and looked forward each month to going to eat with "the girls," friends and former coworkers Sandra, Margaret, Theresa, and Madelyn, visiting her special friend Helen Sumner of Fries, shopping with her daughters, and even fishing with them.  Mary had one of the purest hearts of anyone you could know.  She treated everyone well and welcomed people into her home and life never asking for anything in return. She will be missed so much.

Mary is survived by her husband, Bobby Dolinger of the home; two daughters, Amanda Hammond and Marie Puccio of Kernersville, NC and Kristy and Lee Groseclose of Pulaski, VA; one brother, Harvey Allen Rutherford of Independence, VA the Gold Hill Community; one granddaughter, Kiley Smith; one step grandson, Ruger Gloseclose; and step-father, Herbert Sturdivant of Independence, VA.

The family will receive visitors on Monday, January 15th, 2024, at Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home in Independence, VA  from 1:00pm until 2:00pm with the service in the chapel at 2:00pm with Rev. N.R. Taylor officiating. Mary will be laid to rest in the Gold Hill Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her honor to the Autism Society.