DOROTHY WILSON
A. Dorothy (“Dutchie”) Wilson, 96, of Norwich, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at the Residential Health Care Facility of Chenango Memorial Hospital.
She was born along with her identical twin sister, M. Dorris, on November 11, 1918 in the family farmhouse in Hartland, NY, the daughter of Stanley James and Miriam Frances (Snell) Reed. “Dutchie,” as she was known to her Western New York family, graduated from Gasport High School and received her bachelor’s degree in physical education from Ithaca College. After teaching in Windsor, NY, for two years, she returned to her alma mater where she coached the boys’ basketball team while teaching for another two years. She then decided to go back to school to earn her Registered Nursing degree at Buffalo General Hospital. During World War II, Dorothy served as a cadet nurse.
Moving to Norwich in 1949, she first worked in the Maternity Ward at Chenango Memorial Hospital and then finished her career as the school nurse at Perry Browne School. She remained in that capacity for over twenty-nine years, retiring in 1983.
Dorothy was a member of the Broad Street United Methodist Church where she was a member of the United Methodist Women and loved working on the Tuesday night Soup and Sandwich crew. She was also a member of the Norwich Educators Association and the Norwich Retired Teachers. She had been awarded a life membership in the Norwich PTA. She served for over thirty years as president of the former Baby Club of Chenango Memorial Hospital and was also a member of the Nurse’s Club. Dorothy was a former member of the Norwich Township Grange and of the Ladies of the Moose Club. She was an associate member of the American Legion.
In 1957, Dorothy and Pete purchased a small cottage at Chenango Lake. She loved that cottage, spent many summers there, and enjoyed family times too numerous to count. Dorothy was a long-time member of Canasawacta Country Club where she enjoyed many rounds of golf and played in several leagues and tournaments. She was once the Ladies Handicap Club Champion and had a hole-in-one at the age of eighty. She also enjoyed downhill skiing and was a member of the Seventy-Plus Ski Club, skiing until she was seventy-eight. Her favorite thing to do, however, was to help her son, Doug, in the operation of his business, the Wilson Funeral Home.
On July 16, 1948, in Gasport, NY, Dorothy married Braden L. (“Pete”) Wilson (her twin sister married Pete’s brother, Robert “Hack” Wilson). Surviving are her children and their spouses, Debra and John Hughes, of Chenango Lake and Delray Beach, FL, and Doug and Sharon Wilson, of Chenango Lake; three grandchildren and their spouses, Josh and Dilcia Borthwick of Delray Beach, FL, Kelly and Mark Jones, of Silver Spring, MD, and Chris and Kathy Hughes, of North Chili, NY; two great granddaughters, Lauren and Meghan Hughes, of North Chili and Cashel Borthwick, of Delray Beach. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Dorothy was predeceased by five sisters, her twin, Dorris Wilson, Gladys Capen, Helen Saunders, Evelyn Lichtenberger, and Lillian McQueen and two brothers, Norman and Leighton Reed.
Funeral services for Dorothy will be held at noon on Friday, September 18, 2015, at the Broad Street United Methodist Church with Rev. Nancy Hale, pastor, officiating, along with Dorothy’s good friend, Rev. Joseph Connolly, pastor and teacher at the United Church of Christ First Congregational. Burial will take place at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to call at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.
As a breast cancer survivor, contributions in Dorothy’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 13 Beech St., Johnson City, NY 13790 or to the Activities Fund of Chenango Memorial RHCF, 179 N. Broad St., Norwich, NY 13815.
Condolences may be sent to Dorothy’s family by visiting the funeral home website at: www.wilsonfh.com.