Tony Dolce

Tony Dolce, the Jamestown City Council’s longest-tenured member and former president, has passed away in his sleep.

City Council members were notified Saturday morning by Mayor Kim Ecklund, who had served alongside Dolce on the council for more than 20 years prior to winning election as mayor.

“I have always worked in a bipartisan fashion with all members of council,” Dolce said in October prior to his re-election to the council. “I believe my experience through my years on the city council is extremely valuable to the other members, as well as the city administration. I look forward to serving the community for another term.”

Dolce was heavily involved in the push to save Ss. Peter and Paul after the church was scheduled to close by the Buffalo Diocese of the Catholic Church, was a constant presence in recent years at Russell E. Diethrick Park after his son, Christian, was named general manager of the Jamestown Tarp Skunks and a steady presence on the City Council since the 1990s.

Dolce is a lifelong resident of Jamestown, graduating from Jamestown High School and also teaching there for over 35 years as a government and economics teacher. Dolce has been active in multiple other places in the community, including his church; Holy Apostles Parish, and multiple boards and commissions such as the YMCA board, the Lakeview Cemetery board and Board of Public Utilities Board of Directors. Dolce also serves on the Jamestown Local Development Corporation, and JURA. He is an active runner in the community, helping to raise money for causes and charities over the years. He also served as an assistant coach of the Jamestown High School cross country team and was a coach for the JHS baseball team.

Dolce has served the district since 1989, serving for one year at Washington Middle School before spending the balance of his 35-year career at JHS. He has advised the classes of 1992, 1996, 2001, 2005, and 2017, and has overseen student organization since 2005, a position that placed Dolce in a position to oversee the annual JHS Battle of the Classes.

“We would like to acknowledge Tony Dolce tonight,” said Chris Maggio, JHS Class of 2024 co-advisor when honoring Dolce before the 2024 JHS graduation. “He has been a fixture at Jamestown High School since 1990, which happened to be my junior year — yes, Mr. Dolce was my class advisor in high school when I was sitting in this Amphitheater. Tony has been a teacher, a coach, a class advisor, student organization advisor, and most importantly, he runs the Baccalaureate and Graduation programs. Without Tony, these performances would still run, but not with the precision that they have over the last 20-or-so years that he has done them.”

Dolce is survived by his wife, Anne, and grown children Amelia and Christian.