On February 7, 2020, Dorothy, the matriarch and cornerstone of the Marrone family, joined her past loved ones in Heaven. Affectionately known as Dottie, Dorothy Margaret Stevens was born September 29, 1935 in Plymouth, New York to the late Herbert and Cora Stevens. Born the third eldest and first twin of seventeen children, Dorothy was born to be a caretaker. She helped raise her younger brothers and sisters, even naming two of them. At sixteen, she married Thomas Steele of Norwich, who passed away during the Korean War. She then left the small town life for the big city and attended M. Louis Hair Design Institute in Queens, NY where she became a licensed beautician. There, she met the love of her life, Carl Marrone. They were wed August 30, 1959 in Uniondale, New York.
Although all four of their children were born on Long Island, Dottie and Carl decided to return to her home and build a beautiful life on Trestle Lake with their beloved children Susan, Steven, Michael and Dianne. When Carl opened his own beauty shop in Sidney, New York, Dottie worked alongside him as a hairdresser and manicurist. Before long, Dottie realized her main priority was raising her children, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. All of her grandchildren spent countless summers with her spending time on the lake, gardening, watching soaps, and playing Tetris. Sundays were especially cherished because she would use Carl’s family recipe to create spaghetti sauce for the whole Marrone clan to enjoy.
Dottie relished the outdoors, especially fishing. The old saying stands true that ninety percent of the fish are caught by ten percent of the fisherman. Often she would take her grandchildren to the dam and while they caught small sunnies, she would reel in a bass from the comfort of her lawn chair. Dottie loved to host the huge Stevens Family reunion, doing so biennially for over 40 years at Trestle Lake. She was also an adept wordsmith, loving crossword puzzles, word searches, game shows, and word jumbles. When you need a reminder of life’s simple pleasures do as Grandma Marrone would and feed the birds, grow a plant, go fishing, do a crossword, mow the grass; or make a meal on Sunday, send an indefinite invitation for all to come, eat and share life together at your table. Know that life has many hardships, but take a page out of Dottie’s book and be resilient. Most importantly, love your family unconditionally as she did.
She is survived by her children Steven, Michael, & Dianne Marrone, her grandchildren Melissa (Michael) Chrystie, Jessica (Mark) Fish, Bronson Marrone, Jeremy Nelson, Michaela (Greg) Brewer, Carly Marrone, Jacob Marrone, & Dylan Conklin, and her great-grandchildren Jaden Moore, Cooper, Carter and Maggie Chrystie, & Johnsy Fish. She is also survived by her twin sister Doris Parshall, sisters Retha Wakefield, Kaye Dalton, Leona Brown, Diana Bennett, her brother Hubert Stevens and by many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by 10 brothers and sisters, her loving husband of almost 60 years, Carl, and her beloved daughter Susan.
A service and luncheon will be held at 11 am on Saturday, February 22nd at the American Legion in Oxford. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Susan Marrone Nelson Scholarship Fund (P.O. Box 192 Oxford, NY, 13830) in Dottie’s honor.
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