Dorothy M. Contini

Dorothy May Mork Contini was born May 9, 1920 at 2:22 a.m. in Faribault, Minnesota to the late Mary Ann Kline and George William Mork. She spent her childhood in Minnesota, attended Faribault High School where she created the school newspaper the “Echo”, and graduated in 1938. She attended the College of Commerce, worked at the Employment Security Division in St Paul, and was named the “fastest typist” in Minnesota. She followed her brother Stanley into service to the country during WWII. She was one of the first 1, 400 women to join the newly created Navy Waves. She served her country proudly as a Chief Petty Officer. It was in the Navy that she attended University of Indiana and met and married the late Joseph Michael Contini of Dover in 1946.

She enjoyed the daily simple pleasures of being a wife, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother. Alongside her husband, she raised a family of four children: Dave and Kay Contini of Dover, Kathryn Marie Mast of Arizona, Joann Michele Contini of Oregon, and George Michael Contini of Georgia. She took great pride in their distinguished accomplishments, always offering support and encouragement. She delighted in her six grandchildren: Dr. David Joseph, Jr. and Marie Contini, Drs. Amy Suzanne and Matthew Wilson, and Kristin Kay and Matthew Hutchinson of Ohio, and Michael James and Wei Mast, Marie Lynn and Jerry Zelenka, and Joseph Lee and Lauri Mast of Arizona. Dorothy also felt blessed by the recent gifts to her life, her six great-grandchildren, Mason Robert Contini, Tyler Matthew Hutchinson, Eliana Christine Wilson, and Avery Maye Contini of Ohio, and Lilly Kathryn Zelenka and Laura Marie Zelenka of Arizona. A special delight was holding the coveted role of “Aunt Dot” to nieces and nephews throughout Ohio and Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her brother, Stanley Mork.

In their early years together, Dorothy helped her husband Joseph operate Contini�(TM)s nightclub in Dover, preparing spaghetti dinners and specialty sandwiches, and hosting New Year�(TM)s Eve parties. Later, Dorothy cherished her work for many years with the Dover Public Schools where she served as secretary to the Dover High School principal. She was a member of the St. Joseph Parish, served as chairperson to reinstitute the Parish Festival, was secretary for the Parish Council, and typist for the church newsletter. She served as a Board member of the Tuscarawas Board of Aging, and volunteered many hours working at the Senior Center.

Her life revolved around her family and she spent as much time as she could with them enjoying summer vacations to Minnesota for fishing at the northern lakes, cross country road trips to visit her children and grandchildren, family reunions, and RV travels with her husband. She cultivated lovely flower beds and beautiful rose gardens, and was the envy of many for her green thumb exhibited by a multitude of plants and flowers on her front porch. She truly enjoyed her card club friends and their monthly gatherings over the years. She loved word games; was an avid Scrabble player (often besting everyone she played), and a devotee of the daily word jumbles and crossword puzzles. She was a loyal fan of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. As for her musical tastes, she never lost touch with her mother�(TM)s Czech roots and she was always happiest when listening to Polka Music.

Though she will be remembered for many kindnesses and thoughtful actions it is her strength, her will, her joy for life, her faith, and her abundance of love that will be recounted and treasured by all who knew her.

Always a captain of her fate and master of her soul it is no surprise to those who knew her that she passed quietly, yet determinedly, on her 87th birthday, May 9, 2007.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 10:30 am in St. Joseph Catholic Church at Dover with Fr. William Arnold officiating. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery at Dover where the Dover VFW will conduct military graveside services. Friends can call in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Homes and Crematory at Dover on Saturday, May 12 from 4-7 pm. Those wishing to express their fondest memories of Dorothy may do so by visiting the online obituaries link on the funeral homes website.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Central Ohio Chapter at 2225 City Gate Drive, Suite E, Columbus, Ohio 43219 or to the Tuscarawas County Senior Center at 425 Prospect St. Dover, Ohio 44622.

Toland-Herzig
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com