She was born in Frackville, Pennsylvania as the seventh of eight children and married the love of her life, James Peteritas (d. 2012) in 1953. They moved to the Evansville area in 1959 when Jim took a job in Quality Control at Mead Johnson & Company.
Dottie was totally devoted to the family she and Jim created together, starting with their five children and growing to include fourteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Hosting weekly family dinners on Sundays was one of the many ways they kept the family knit closely together.
Some of her greatest joys were singing and music. She played the piano and organ and was a frequent soloist in the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church choir and at many weddings. In addition to baby-sitting her own grand and great-grandchildren she also taught at St. Mark’s Lutheran Pre-school. Her artistic talents also included floral arranging, crochet, and arts & crafts. She modeled kindness and generosity in everything she did.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James K. Peteritas, her daughter Anita Conapinski, and great-grandchild Ethan Tarter as well as her parents, Vaughn and Myrtle Morgan and siblings George, Vaughn, James, Roy, Jack and Anita Morgan.
She is survived by her son Gary Peteritas (Celeste) of Pottstown, PA; daughter, Cynthia Beavin (John) of Evansville, IN; daughter, Donna Kappler (Brian) of Newburgh, IN; son Scott Peteritas (Kathy) of Newburgh, IN; and son-in-law Rob Conapinski of Newburgh, IN; grandchildren, Kelly Conapinski, Kyle Conapinski (Karie), Kelsie Tarter (Jimmy), Brian Peteritas (Walker), Stephen Peteritas (Caroline), Josh Beavin (Amy), Jacob Beavin (Samantha), Joseph Beavin, Andrea Kerner (T.J.), Robby Ort (Brittany), Amy Draeger (Jordan), Emily Phelps (Zach), Victoria Aragon and Niles Amalla as well as eighteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Mary Reese of Camp Hill, PA, sisters-in-law Joan Morgan of Frackville, PA and Peg Morgan of Pottstown, PA and numerous nieces and nephews.
Private services were held with burial at Park Lawn Cemetery in Evansville. A celebration of Dottie’s life will be held at a later date.
The family will forever be grateful to the caregivers at Oasis Dementia Care for the compassion, love and kindness they have shown to Dottie over the last three years.
Donations can be made in her memory to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 2300 Washington Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47714 or Oasis Dementia Care (earmarked for Patient Fund), 4301 Washington Avenue, Evansville, IN 47714.
Condolences may be offered online at www.AlexanderNewburghChapel.com.
