Dolores G. Clement, a respected educator and philanthropist, passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, Virginia, on August 21, 2025, following a prolonged battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was surrounded by family during her final moments. Born on March 28, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, Clement was the daughter of Marjorie Hogue Gurnick and Raymond Stephen Gurnick.
Clement’s life was marked by her commitment to education and healthcare. She was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel A. Clement, her parents, and her stepdaughter, Karin Denise Grice, of Virginia Beach. She is survived by her stepdaughter, Janet Heide Clement (partner Judy McCune), and her grandchild, Ryan Hunter Grice, of Norfolk. All ten of her siblings, numerous cousins, and many nieces and nephews remain as part of her extensive family network.
A Life Committed to Service and Education
Clement grew up as the third oldest in a large family and pursued her education with vigor. After graduating from Mount St. Joseph College in Cincinnati, Ohio, she joined the Peace Corps, serving as a volunteer in Sierra Leone for eight years. During her time in Africa, she worked as an administrative assistant at a cash crop clinic, which ignited her passion for healthcare management.
Upon returning to the United States, Clement earned a Master of Science in Health Systems Management from Rush University in Chicago and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Ohio University. She later obtained her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in Health Policy and Administration.
Clement dedicated over three decades to the Department of Health Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she held various roles, including Program Director for the Master of Health Administration (MHA) and Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) programs. She also served as Associate Dean in the School of Allied Health Professions, earning recognition for her excellence in teaching and mentoring students.
Legacy of Leadership and Philanthropy
Throughout her career, Clement was acknowledged as a leader in the healthcare community. She was a board-certified healthcare manager and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), serving as ACHE Regent for Central Virginia from 2014 to 2017. Her contributions to the field were recognized with numerous awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
In addition to her academic pursuits, Clement and her husband established charitable funds at the Community Foundation of Richmond and the MCV Foundation, focusing on managerial ethics. She was also deeply involved in community service, inspiring the MHA graduating classes of 2015 and 2016 to create a scholarship fund in her name.
Clement’s research focused on healthcare benefits, community health, and Medicare risk contracting. She published extensively in academic journals and served on the editorial board of Health Administration Press. Her expertise took her to Uzbekistan, where she consulted on program development.
Outside of her professional life, Clement enjoyed travel, boating, and spending time with her pets. Her love for animals extended to her rescue dogs and cats, with whom she shared many cherished moments.
In her later years, despite health challenges, she made memorable trips to Iceland and Alaska with family and friends. Clement’s philosophy of life, captured in five simple rules she penned in a journal, emphasized forgiveness, simplicity, generosity, and a positive outlook.
A memorial visitation will be held at Bliley’s Funeral Home in Richmond on September 4 from 16:00 to 19:00. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on September 5 at 11:00, followed by interment at the church’s columbarium. The service will be livestreamed on www.blileys.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of choice, or contributions can be directed to the Dr. Dolores G. Clement Scholarship Fund at the MCV Foundation at VCU, the Shekleton Clement Families Fund for Gerontologic Studies at Rush University, or St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond.