Dorothy J Clasby

08/09/1928 – 12/15/2017

A Life Well Lived

Dot passed away on December 15th at the Sun City Center Hospice House at age 89, surrounded by family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Johnson and Sadie Ochoa, husband of 50 years, Robert (“Bob”) and son, Joseph. She leaves behind her sons, Robert and James (partner James O’Connor), daughter, Teresa McClay (Paul), grandchildren, Paul McClay (Meredith) and Kathleen Robison (Brian), daughter-in-law, Patricia Clasby, and sisters, Shirley Rachide, Glenda (“Polly”) Medder and Carole Murray. She also leaves behind many other family members and friends.

Dot was born in Angier, NC on August 9, 1928, the oldest of four girls. She graduated from New Bern High School in 1946 where she gained her love of literature. She was an avid reader and frequented the public library, always checking out the maximum number of books on each visit. She loved to dance and sometimes took two dates - one for the jitterbug and one for the waltz.

She met her future husband (and waltz partner), Bob, at the Marine Corp Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, where she worked as a clerk in the Administrative Offices. They were married on base in the Station Chapel on May 27, 1949. They shared an apartment with her sister, Shirley and her husband, Albert, before moving to North Miami.

Dot’s sister, Polly, lived with them while she attended nursing school in Miami. Dot hosted sleepovers for several of the nursing students and taught them to jitterbug.

Dot joined the Holy Family Women’s Club and Sewing Circle and was a stay-at-home mom while their children were growing up. She became a Brownie and Girl Scout Troop Leader and she taxied her children and their friends to afterschool activities. Their house was always open and the dinner table always had room for one more friend. She remained involved in her children’s lives and was their strongest advocate and their loudest booster.

Dot taught swimming for the City of North Miami Beach for more than 40 years, first as an American Red Cross volunteer and later as an employee. She retired in 2006, having taught hundreds of babies, children and adults. She also taught private swimming lessons and some families even scheduled their vacations around her availability. Dot enjoyed all of her classes but the Mom and Tots classes were her favorite.

She was a talented seamstress and her repertoire was varied. She made cheerleading uniforms for the Holy Family Hornets, North Miami Pioneers and the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders, Halloween costumes for her children, neighbors, co-workers and grandchildren, and Indian and pioneer costumes for her husband, who she eventually taught to sew his own. Her Humpty Dumpty pillows were must-have baby gifts and they were sent as far as Alaska, Hawaii, Israel and Argentina with many points in between. She even had second generation customers. She made Barbie Doll and GI Joe outfits, prom dresses and wedding gowns and even made custom sized baby clothes for a special little treasure.

She was also famous for her chocolate eclairs, banana pudding and cherry yum-yum desserts, southern style potato salad and deviled eggs. Friends and family weren’t the least bit shy about throwing out not-so-subtle hints about their favorite goodies whenever a birthday or other celebration was approaching. She even got an offer for marriage over her deviled eggs.

While she could read for hours on end, she was also fun loving with a hint of daring thrown in for good measure. She was known to hop on the back of her son Bob’s Harley for quick trip, drop in on parties at the local bar with her sons and enjoyed going to the race track. She loved to climb trees with her grandchildren and she thought nothing of going on the other side of the safety ropes at the Cliffs of Moher (Ireland) so she could get a better view from the edge.

Dot stayed especially close with her sisters and, whenever they were together, you could count on late night card games, second (or third…) helpings of ice cream and lots of love and laughter.

She faced many difficult times but never gave in to adversity. Just a few months after a serious car accident, she traveled to Ireland with her daughter’s family and climbed all over castle ruins and the luscious green countryside. When she broke her hip in 2014, her surgeon expected she would never walk again and estimated she had about six months to live - but she proved him wrong on both counts.

Dot bravely battled Alzheimer’s Disease for the past few years of her life but it never diminished her ability to live life to its fullest. She enjoyed socializing, listening to music, looking at family pictures and sitting outside in the sun. She still loved to dance and her smile would light up any room she entered. She even fell in love again – with a black Labrador puppy. She named him “Tom” long enough to have his name engraved on the dog tag. After that he was known as her “pretty baby”. He was the perfect companion – he didn’t need to be fed or walked and he was the just the right size for her to carry around or cuddle in her bed. He was with her when she passed away.

Dot’s most cherished roles were as a mother and grandmother. She may have had only four children and two grandchildren of her own but she touched the lives of many, many more and she gave a piece of her heart to each one of them. She will be greatly missed and she will always be loved.

Dot’s family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff at Superior Residences of Brandon and the visiting physicians, nurses, home health aides and Lifepath Hospice staff who provided loving care during her time there. They would also like to thank the amazing musicians and other entertainment who brought her tremendous joy with their exceptional performances and the other families for their unending support. Lastly, they would like to thank the staff at Sun City Center Hospice House for their compassionate care and support.