Dorothy Pearl Hickey

Angels guided Dorothy (“Dottie”) Pearl Hickey, 94, to her heavenly home Monday, September 1, 2021. She is preceded in death by her parents, Lodia and Edmund Blanchard; her husband, Harold Hickey; her brother Robert Blanchard and her cousin Jackie LeClaire. Dottie is survived by daughter Nancy Meek (Geoffrey), son Michael Hickey, son Robert Hickey (Phyllis), granddaughter Kelsey Ziem (Keaton) and great-grandsons Vincent, Theodore and Edmund.

Born February 27, 1927, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Dorothy Blanchard attended Durfee High School. She was a great jitterbug dancer and enjoyed going to big band music halls where all the WWII French sailors frequented. However, she met and fell in love with a non-dancing Irish Army veteran whom she married in 1949. Dottie and Harold relocated to his hometown of Newport, R.I.

Dottie had worked at a small insurance agency right out of high school, but in her new hometown decided to take on the challenge of starting her own insurance agency. Hickey Insurance Agency came to fruition out of her Newport home while raising three children, an uncommon endeavor by a woman in the 1950’s.

In 1962, the Hickey family decided to make the adventurous move to Phoenix, Arizona in their station wagon filled with everything they owned. Dottie described the trip: “we were like pioneers heading West, like in a stagecoach, going to an unknown place, not knowing a single person and without any job prospects.” On August 1st, Phoenix welcomed them with a temperature of 116, and their son Michael became ill with a temperature of 104.

After reaching poverty level, December ’62 finally brought employment for Dottie and Harold and the future brightened. Dottie was back in the insurance business working for Oliver /Pilcher (later “Willis”) and in 1977 was named Insurance Woman of the Year. At the same time, her volunteer work at Waitwell Nursing Home earned her the title of Volunteer of the Year.

Dottie retired in 1991 with the title of Assistant Marketing Director. She then had the time to enjoy many volunteer opportunities: as a cook for Mother Teresa’s shelter (15 years), as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound with Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral and St. Jerome’s Church, and as a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Her many interests included woodworking and tole painting, golfing and cruising around the world. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and her many friends; her 80th birthday party was attended by 100 of her closest friends and family, a great testament to her joy and kindness.

Dottie enjoyed the last ten years of her life residing at Fellowship Square Christian Care Retirement Community in Phoenix. She often said that these were the happiest days of her life.

A celebration of Dottie’s life will be held at A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuary, 710 West Bethany Home Road, Phoenix, on Monday, September 13, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.