Dorothy N. Donaldson

Dorothy N. Donaldson

Dorothy’s 23-year battle with Breast Cancer ended on November 29th, 2022 with husband Aaron and dog Luna by her side. She battled to the end.

Dorothy was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and spent her formative years in Kearny and Teaneck. Qualities of being an only child were always on full display. (Her mother worked for 18 years to have her.) Dorothy earned degrees from William Paterson College, the Rutgers School of Social Work, and NYU. She received a direct commission as an army reservist officer and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel 23 years later. After brief stints as a waitress at Pat’s Diner on the Jersey Shore, as a teacher and as a social worker she embarked on a professional career as a manager and administrator. Public and non-profit entities that benefited from her strength, energy, intelligence, organizational skills, empathy, attention to detail, persistence and stubbornness included child welfare agencies in the State of New Jersey and New York City, the Fund for the City of New York, and New York City agencies focused on Economic Development, Housing and Health. Her last full-time assignment was as Administrator of Segundo Belvis, a Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the south Bronx run by New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation.

Her post-career energies were devoted to Sanibel Island’s Historic Museum and Village (three years as Board President), Community Housing and Resources (Board member) and several years as the Secretary of the Island Woods Association. For the past 11 years Dorothy has interacted with a very special group of people, whose names shall remain anonymous. They can never imagine how much they meant to her. Dorothy did not like surprises but her request for no memorials will not be honored. Remembrances to be scheduled in Sanibel, Florida and New York. Donations may be sent to Community Housing and Resources, Inc. Sanibel Florida.