Obituary: Dorothy Loretta (Roberts) Knowles

0
202


NAUGATUCK — Dorothy Loretta (Roberts) Knowles, 97, passed on to her eternal reward on Feb. 9, 2021, in the VITAS Hospice Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Dorothy was born in Waterbury on April 27, 1923, the daughter of George Roberts and Loretta (Linskey) Roberts. She was the wife of the late Joseph John Knowles. Dorothy lived in Naugatuck all of her life, graduated from Prospect Street School and Naugatuck High School, Class of 1941.

Dorothy worked for the Borough of Naugatuck’s Board of Education for 20 years. She started out as a secretary at City Hill Middle School and retired as the executive secretary to the grants coordinator. She was a faithful parishioner, first at St. Mary’s Parish in Union City, then at St. Francis of Assisi. She was a proud member for over 50 years of the American Legion Post 17 Auxiliary and a past commander. For 40 years, she was a member of the Naugatuck Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, past president; for over 40 years a member of the Naugatuck High School Alumni Association, served as secretary; served as secretary of the Naugatuck 150 Anniversary Committee; former member of the Naugatuck Democratic Town Committee, the Ladies Altar Guild at St. Francis of Assisi Church, to name a few.

Dorothy received the Franklin Johnson Award, was honored by the NHS Alumni Association in 1999, and was the 2000 Naugatuck LAOH/AOH St. Patrick’s Day “Irish Mayor for the Day.” Dorothy was extremely proud of her Union City roots. Her love for all things Naugatuck was unwavering, especially for the members of the veterans community. As much as she loved the red, white and blue, she loved the garnet and grey!

Above all, she loved her family, sons, grandsons, great-grandchildren and her cousins from the Linskey and Roberts families.

Dorothy is survived by her son, Kevin G. Knowles of Naugatuck; her grandsons, Edward and Sean; great-grand-sons and great-granddaughters, Edward McLean Knowles, Nevaeh Knowles, Hunter Dow Knowles, Darby Knowles, Roslyn “Rosie” Dow Knowles and Isabelle Knowles. In addition to her husband, father and mother, Dorothy was predeceased by her son, Joseph B. “JB” Knowles; her daughter-in- law, Adrienne Knowles; and her son, Brian Joseph Knowles.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 318 Church St., Naugatuck. Those attending are asked to please meet directly at church. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Walk-through calling hours are Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Ave., Naugatuck. Members of the Naugatuck Veterans Council will assemble at 5:55 p.m. and the Naugatuck L.A.O.H and A.O.H will gather at 6 p.m. Everyone attending Dorothy’s services is required to wear a facial covering and to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

To honor Dorothy’s memory, donations can be made to the Naugatuck American Legion Post 17 Auxiliary c/o 21 Cedar St., Naugatuck, CT 06770 or to the Naugatuck Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (L.A.O.H) c/o Mary Ann Sigworth, 99 Deepwood Road, Naugatuck, CT 06770.

To leave an online condolence, visit www.buckmillerthurstonmengacci.com.