Friday, October 1, 2004
Gracious, beautiful, generous of heart, funny and devoted to family. These are just a few of the words that I would use to describe Dorothy Armstrong, the extraordinary woman that I called Nana. Dorothy grew up in Lynn in the quaint Brown's Pond area and later moved to Peabody after she married. She had been a dedicated wife and a loving mother of four children: Cheryl, Pamela, Raymond and David. Having had four children in five years, she and her husband had worked hard to raise their children, making sacrifices and cutting corners where they could to provide their kids with the best upbringing possible. They were good parents and never had a shortage of love in their home. I know this because their children followed their example and grew up to be good parents in turn to their children, teaching the value of having a loving and close-knit family. Testimony to what a great job Dorothy did raising her children was the fact that her children loved and respected her enough to care for her during her illness. Dorothy had moved back into her childhood home in Lynn and wished to remain there for the rest of her days. Her children honored her wishes and altered their lives so they could give her the time and care that she required. Dorothy was lucky to have four children who loved her so selflessly and unconditionally. She was so proud of them and loved them with all her heart.<br> Dorothy was not only blessed with four children but had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren who cherished her as well. She was certainly my favorite grandmother hands down. My Nana wasn't the type of grandmother that baked cookies before you came over; instead, she preferred doughnuts. So with a jelly doughnut, a medium coffee and cruller (for later) in tote we'd visit her. You never knew what a trip to Nana's held in store for you. It could be a ride to Artie's for ice cream, a Swing dance lesson, a song played on the keyboard or a trip down Memory Lane. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and would sit and talk for hours. She loved to tell stories about her parents, Grampy, and of course her children. They were almost always funny anecdotes about their childhood capers, and she never seemed to run out of stories. She was easy to talk to and had a knack for listening. She always wanted to hear about what was going on in her grandchildren's lives. She cared deeply for her family and made sure that we knew we were special to her. She will forever have a special place in our hearts, and our memories of her will always be treasured. <br> My grandmother's legacy reaches beyond the bounds of her family. As a member of the VNA Nursing staff, she touched the lives of many in the community as well. She used her sense of humor and nurturing ways to bring comic relief and tenderness to her patients. These gifts of kindness and patience were returned to her by the nurses who helped care for her during her illness. She was an exceptional woman who treated others with respect and gentleness and deserved the same. <br> Dorothy was truly a remarkable woman who was loved dearly by family and friends. She will be remembered as a loving mother, a cherished grandmother and a caring nurse. The precious times that she spent with us all will be preserved in our memories. Her memory will be held near to our hearts and treasured forever. She was loved deeply and will be sorely missed. Because she was a practical woman and was always thinking of others, I like to think that my Nana would not want us to spend our time grieving. I believe she would want us to let a fond memory of her bring a smile to our faces, but would want us to get on with enjoying our lives. <br><br>Dorothy, Mom, Nana, Nana Dot: we will always love you!
