Obituary of Dorothy E. McVeigh

Dorothy Edna (Johnson) McVeigh died on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 surrounded by her family. She was born on September 13, 1921 in New Britain, the daughter of the late Carl and Hildur Linden Johnson. She was the widow of James M. McVeigh, who died in 1987. She leaves two sons, James P. McVeigh of Newington, caregiver, with whom he shared her home, Kevin P. McVeigh and his wife Candice of Windsor, and three daughters, Margaret (Maggie) Francis and her husband Donald of Rocky Hill, Elizabeth (Betty) Backshall and her husband Paul of Tortola, BVI and Rosemary Dina Johnson and her husband Rick of Columbia, and a son-in-law, Gerald Francis of West Simbury. She leaves ten grandchildren: Christopher, Timothy, Daniel, Peter and Thomas Francis, Clay Johnson, Heather Johnson Rodriguez, Joseph, Erik and Erin McVeigh. She also leaves twelve great-grandchildren: Benjamin, Shelby, Connor, Kristen, Emory, Riley, Kylee, Rose, Jesse, Fiona, Mikayla and Ayla. Besides her husband she was predeceased by a daughter Ellen M. Francis, two grandchildren, Sean Francis and Marcella (Marci) Bauman, a brother, Carl A. Johnson, and family friend Joseph Nogiec. She also leaves her best friend of 70 years, Rita Foley of New Britain. Dottie was raised during the Great Depression and graduated from New Britain High School in 1939. She was a talented artist, receiving a scholarship to the Wadsworth Atheneum. She attended the Morse School of Business and worked during the early war years at North & Judd. She and Jim were married on September 3, 1943. They lived in New Britain until 1969 when they moved to Newington. Dorothy worked at Sears, Roebuck and Co., first in downtown Hartford and then at the store at Corbin's Corner in the personnel department until her retirement. She was a faithful communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Church and of Holy Spirit Church, and a member of the Ladies' Guild. She and Jim loved nothing better than to pile their six children into the car early on a Saturday morning and head off on an adventure. A trip to Hammonasset or the Bronx Zoo or Philadelphia all started the same way: with an armful of sandwiches and the little red jug of Zarex. They managed to provide vacations every year to the Connecticut shore or Hampton Beach or camping with grandchildren. Dottie was a Cub Scout den mother, dance costume maker, and an avid reader. She was a skillful knitter and was known for her mittens, sweaters, and lovely afghans. Dottie will be remembered as an energetic and loving mother who raised her children under sometimes difficult circumstances with a firm but gentle hand. She never lost her sense of fun and adventure and even in her finals days, she could sometimes be seen dancing to her own inner music. Funeral services will be celebrated Saturday January 19th 9 A.M. from the Farrell Funeral Home 110 Franklin Square, New Britain with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 A.M. at Holy Spirit Church, 183 Church St. Newington. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery in New Britain. Friends and family may call at the funeral home Friday from 4-7 P.M. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Alzheimer's Assoc. CT Chapter, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill CT 06067 or Our Lady of Wayside, 38135 Colorado Ave. Avon OH, 44011 The Family would like to express their thanks to Liz Kilroy and her thoughtful team at the Betty Larus Adult Day Health Center and the caring staff at Aurora Senior Living.