Dorothy Ekery

Dorothy Maria DiNardo Ekery died peacefully at home on January 9, 2025.

Dorothy, the beloved only child of Alfred and Angela DiNardo, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on October 29, 1938.

Alfred, an Italian immigrant, and Angela had little formal schooling, and they encouraged Dottie to focus on her studies. From an early age, Dottie excelled in school. She was valedictorian of her high school class and received a full scholarship to New York University, a school that would otherwise have been beyond her family’s financial reach. At NYU, Dottie pursued a pre-med course of study and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She was accepted to NYU Medical School, again receiving a full scholarship. Dottie was one of just a handful of women in her medical school class.

After graduating from medical school, Dottie began her residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. There, she met another young resident, Fred Ekery, who often lingered to talk to her after their shifts ended. Fred finally worked up the courage to ask her out on a date. Two months later, they decided to marry—a union that would span the next fifty-nine years.

Dottie and Fred completed their training at Parkland Hospital in Dallas before embarking on a two-year stint in Japan for Fred’s military service. Dottie specialized in cardiology, an area she chose after losing her father to heart disease. Dottie and Fred had three daughters, one of whom would eventually follow her mother’s footsteps into a career in cardiology.

Dottie and Fred settled in El Paso, Fred’s hometown, in 1969. Dottie began work as a cardiologist at R.E. Thomason General Hospital, the county hospital, and eventually became its chief of cardiology. Dottie loved her patients, and they embraced her compassionate care. Dottie also developed a deep love for El Paso, adopting Fred’s extended family as her own, while maintaining close ties with the family members she grew up with. Dottie was fiercely protective and loyal to those she cared for, whether her family, her patients, her pets, or even her extensive collection of houseplants.

When Texas Tech Medical School opened a branch in El Paso, Dottie embarked on a new facet of medicine: teaching the medical students and residents who trained there. Dottie formed a close bond with her students, many of whom would remain in touch with her for the rest of her life. Ultimately, Dottie retired from Texas Tech as a full professor in 1996. Along the way, Dottie earned many accolades, including being named Woman of the Year in Medicine in 1975—all while being a devoted wife, mother, and role model to her three girls.

After retiring from medicine, Dottie and Fred moved to Austin, where their daughters and grandchildren lived. Dottie reveled in her time with her grandkids, inviting them over for sleepovers, creating elaborate craft projects, teaching them gardening, and cooking copious amounts of food for them.

Through it all, Dottie never stopped learning. She had a gift for languages. She grew up speaking Italian with her family, minored in Latin in college, rapidly learned Spanish to communicate with her patients in El Paso, could get by in French, and even picked up some Arabic from Fred and his extended family. Dottie took great pride in her Italian heritage. After her retirement, she was thrilled to meet and visit numerous cousins in Italy, many of whom still lived in her father’s hometown. She loved cooking (especially Italian food) for her family and friends. And she adored animals of all kinds, developing an especially close bond with Zeus and Millie, the granddogs who provided her such love and solace these past few years.

Despite her many accomplishments, Dottie’s most treasured roles were as wife and partner to Fred, mother and mentor to her three daughters, and beloved nonna to her four grandchildren. Her happiest times were spent at home, laughing with her family.

Dottie is survived by her husband, Fred; daughters Deborah (David Dorris), Rachel (Douglas Kley), and Laura; grandchildren Madeline and Julia Dorris and Natalie and Charlie Kley; and numerous cherished cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Abraham Lieberman and Dr. Sarah Daniels, as well as Monica Vargas and Vivian Oguegbe, who provided loving, compassionate care and comfort to Dottie and her family throughout her final days.

Visitation will be Monday, January 20, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home, 2620 South Congress Avenue. A funeral mass will be held Tuesday, January 21, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Power for Parkinson’s, or a charity of your choice.