Elizabeth (Betty) N Dorsa

October 2, 1930 to August 9, 2010

A beautiful, kind Lady who loved her God, her Country, her Husband, her family, and her friends. In her entire life she never harmed another soul but brought happiness, compassion, and humor to everyone with whom she came in contact. She went cheerfully and willingly to the God she had always cherished and served, with her husband of 58 years in tears at her side. She is surely, for all eternity, in the very best place imaginable.

Betty went through grade school in Pittsburgh (East Liberty) and graduated from Peabody High School in 1948. She attended Seton Hill College for several years and left to assume an accounting position with an Engineering Company in Pittsburgh. She was still there when she started dating her husband to be; a Marine Lieutenant home on leave enroute to Korea in the late summer of 1952.They had known one another for several years, but the romance began and flourished during these final weeks of summer. When her husband to be (Larry) reported into Camp Pendleton, and found out he would be there for five weeks prior to deployment, he made a phone call to Betty proposed. She accepted and they were married in a Quonset Hut Chapel at Tent Camp 2 (San Onofre) on 16 September 1952. Four weeks later he left for Korea and it was a year before they saw each other again. But it all worked out just fine.

They experienced the typical Marine Corps routine of serving at various Marine Corps installations in addition to two of Larry's three year semi independent tours; one as the Inspector Instructor of a Marine Reserve Rifle Company in the suburbs of Philadelphia (Delaware County) and the other as the Marine Liaison Officer to the Army Development Commands at Fort Sill Oklahoma. Wherever they were stationed Betty always became active in some voluntary role. She taught Sunday School, volunteered at the Hospital, and/or did admin work for the Chaplain's office. She was frequently recognized for these efforts such as being honored as the President of the Hospital Ladies Auxiliary at Camp Lejeune, and the recipient of the Molly Pitcher Award at Fort Sill for the military wife making greatest contribution to volunteer services on the Post. She also worked with the Ladies auxiliary of the Junior Chamber of Commerce while in the Philadelphia area. Since their entry back into civilian life, Betty continued this desire to be helpful largely through numerous contributions of time, talent, and treasure to whatever Parish she was a member. In the last 15 years or so this has been, and remains, St.Thomas More in Oceanside.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Elizabeth (Bibs) Nead, and her sister, Barbara Foster. She is survived by her husband, Lawrence (Larry), her son, also Lawrence, her two granddaughters, Julia and Jenna Dorsa both of whom reside in Las Vegas, her niece, Elizabeth (Beth) Cline of Sandy, Utah and two nephews, Todd and Ned Foster of Pittsburgh.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1100, Saturday morning 28 August at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 1450 South Melrose Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056.

In lieu of flowers, if you wish to make a donation, please do so to either the building fund at St. Thomas More Church or to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation:

121 South Saint Asaph St. Alexandria, VA 22314.

Arrangements are under the direction of Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Mortuary and Crematory, Oceanside, CA.