Dorothy N. Conaway

Dorothy N. Conaway, 94, of Ridge, New York, passed away on November 28th at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY , surrounded by her family and friends. One of eight beautiful girls, she was the third born to Elmer and Ottilie (Orzech) Norris on May 10, 1924 in Berwyn, Maryland. She was the beloved wife of the late Roy W. Conaway for 54 years. Dorothy, also known as “Dot” or “Dottie”, graduated in 1944 from the McKinley High School in Washington, D.C. She went to work for TWA as a secretary at Washington National Airport in Virginia. She spotted Roy, a new pilot for TWA, and thought he looked like Tyrone Powers. They were married on June 8, 1945 in Washington, D.C.

She lived in several places including Alexandria, Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; Levittown, NY; Farmingdale, NY; Yukon, Oklahoma; Spring Hill, Florida and most recently in Leisure Village in Ridge, NY.

Dorothy was an active member of the Lutheran Church wherever she lived, serving on altar guilds. She also was an active volunteer for many organizations including the AHRC (Association for the Help of Retarded Children), the March of Dimes and the Farmingdale Library.

Dorothy was known for her expertise at doing crossword puzzles, doing math in her head without paper, bowling, golfing, making lists, entering contests and always being there for her family and friends.

She was a full-time Mom who would make a large breakfast and iron all the children’s clothes every morning and then get them off to school and always be there when they got home. She made sure they were involved in a variety of activities in music, art, dance, the scouts and sports. She loved playing cards, especially Hearts, or board games with her family but would get flustered when she came back from the kitchen with snacks to find her cards looked different. Roy was a practical joker. Being the wife of a pilot, she had to “wing it” with dinner and sleeping schedules. But she never missed her soap operas. She was an avid collector of green stamps, coins and coupons. She was an excellent bowler who won many competitions. The house was full of trophies. She also loved to write lists of what everyone was doing at all times.

Since Roy was also a builder, he had built a lovely home with a swimming pool where they entertained friends all summer. Dottie was a very sociable person who loved entertaining and going to events. She also travelled extensively with her family across the US to see historic places and to visit relatives. She also made trips to Ireland, England, Germany, Greece, Italy, Hong Kong, and Hawaiian Islands.

After the children went off to college, Dottie and Roy moved to Yukon, Oklahoma. Roy was the sixth of nine children brought up on a farm in Deer Creek. They bought a house on a golf course and became avid golfers. Dottie was especially known for her putting.

Her first week in the new house in Oklahoma a tornado hit the house and broke open the through the dining room window and flooded it. Mom stayed crouched on the floor in the hallway away from windows with her best friend Gretchen, (her schnauzer). Her cat, Shadow became just that and wasn’t seen for a while. She so loved her Gretchen and talked about her all the time up to her last day.

After moving several times, Dot and Roy settled in Spring Hill, Florida. They had a new home built on the golf course. She golfed as much as she could up to age 85. After Roy passed in 1999, she lived alone for 11 years and continued to be an active member of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church, a member of the Jolly Friends, and kept busy with activities at the Club Houses in her community.

In 2010 she moved from Florida to Ridge, NY to be near her children in New York and Connecticut. After a heart attack and stroke in 2012, she had a full-time aide move into her home. There were a couple who didn’t stay for long. In 2013 Luisa Olmedo arrived from California at the age of 23. She was not only a lovely young lady, she was an angel. She came on Christmas and what a gift she was. Dorothy ‘s health improved, and she was able to enjoy life and travel for a few more years.

Then Tweety entered her life and he has been singing for her ever since. What a voice.

In 2014 she traveled with her two daughters to Maryland to have her 90th birthday with her two remaining sisters and many nieces and nephews. Then she visited with them in their homes and churches. Her nephew, Jim Dent, gave her a private concert with his wife Josette in his church in Frederick, MD.,where he is the organist. It was a great visit.

Since then she had get-togethers with her extended family on all holidays. She especially enjoyed the great grandchildren. Dottie’s last event with the family was on Thanksgiving this year. She shared the day with her three children, their spouses, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her angel Luisa with a catered dinner in her home.

Her health had begun to decline before Thanksgiving. A week before the holiday she was hospitalized. for 5 days and then released from the hospital. Unfortunately, she fell ill once again and was readmitted. Her determination to go home was so strong that she was released the day before Thanksgiving. Throughout, her hospital stay all she would repeat was “I need to be home for Thanksgiving!”.

She bounced back like the warrior that she was known to be. She was a woman who had great inner strength. Her goal in life was to make it to her 100th birthday.

On November 28th, 2018 she passed away from natural causes. She fought hard to spend one last moment with the whole family. She was a true matriarch who was loved, respected and cherished.

Dorothy is survived by her two sisters Evelyn Dent of Frederick, Maryland and Alverta (Bert) Kennedy of Silver Springs, Maryland, brother-in-law, Ken Kennedy, her daughter Carol Genua and her husband Michael Genua of Shoreham, NY, her son Jerry Conaway and his wife Sharon Conaway of Mount Sinai NY; her daughter Linda Parsloe and her husband Bert Parsloe of Sandy Hook, CT; her 4 grandchildren Jaime DeCaro and her husband Dr. Louis DeCaro of Florence, Mass., Carissa Brady and her husband Shaun Brady of Volente, TX, Matthew Genua and his wife Nicole Genua of Islip Terrace, NY and Veronica Parsloe of Naugatuck, CT ; three great grandchildren: Eliza Lily DeCaro, Lucas James DeCaro, Hazel Rey Genua and a host of loving relatives and friends.

Five sisters: Amelia Streeks, Mary Hollidge, Esther Bucci, Blanche Lucille Caruso , Audrey Durkin predeceased her.

The family will be forever grateful to her caregiver, Luisa Olmedo for her love, kindness, strength and loyalty to Dorothy.

Visiting hours are 2 - 4 pm and 7 - 9 pm on Wednesday, Dec 5th at the O.B. Davis Funeral Home, 1001 Route 25a, Miller Place, NY 11764. A Service is planned for 8 pm with Pastor Bruce Kaifler from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church -ELCA (the fish church) at the O.B. Davis Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church - ELCA, 716 Route 25A, Rocky Point, NY 11778 http://www.thefishchurch.com/

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