Dorothy Bates Spence-MacDonald

Dorothy L. Spence MacDonald, 71, beloved mother, sister and friend gently passed on 7/8/2011 at Tobey Hospital in Wareham due to lifelong health complications. God graced us with her company for 37 years after bypass surgery.

She is predeceased by her parents Ralph Bates and Dorothy Grimman Bates and sister Barbara Hudson.

Formerly of Sandwich “Dottie”, as she was known to many, was a homemaker. A loving, gentle, kind and optimistic lady who brightened many lives with her happy go lucky spirit. Dottie enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, country rides, knitting and reading. In her younger years Dottie enjoyed swimming, biking, exercising, day trips with her children and coffee with the girls. In her later years she enjoyed walking the canal and feeding the birds at Shell Point in Onset.

She is survived by her children; Patricia McIntosh and husband Edgar of Port Charlotte, Fla., Deborah Dudley and husband Scott of Frederick, Md., Catherine Fitzpatrick and husband Mark of Port Charlotte, Fla., James Spence Jr. and wife Sarah of Port Charlotte, Fla., and her daughter and caregiver with whom she lived, Susan Spence of Wareham, Mass.

Also survived by her sisters Joan Behrendt of Conn., Virginia Lunedei of Mass., and Faith Raimondi of Mass. , and brother Ralph Bates of Fla., 3 grandsons all of Fla, and the father of the children and lifelong friend James Spence Sr. of Fla.

Visiting hours for "Dottie" will be held Monday evening July 11th from 5-8 p.m. at Nickerson Bourne Funeral Home, 40 MacArthur Blvd., Bourne.Services to be held Tuesday morning July 12th 11 a.m. at Nickerson Bourne Funeral Home in Bourne followed with burial at Agawam Cemetery in Wareham.