Dorothy Hitter November 3, 2024, Babylon, NY. Dorothy Irene (Feeney) Hitter, 93, of Holbrook. Loving mother of Thomas (Becky), Marianne (Donna), Irene Lazaroff (Bill), Lisa Hulse (Mark), and Bill (Catherine), and 9 grandchildren, Thomas (Diana), Emily Varmette (Dave), Kimberly (Joe), Matthew Hulse (Jessica), Daniel Hulse (Michaela), Bradley, Collin (Maggie), Benjamin Lazaroff (Rachel) and Timothy Lazaroff ( Madda ) as well as 4 great-grandchildren. The oldest child of William and Mildred Feeney, predeceased by them, her sister Elizabeth Stelljes, brother Bill Feeney, as well as one child, Dorothy (in 1958), and her husband, Donald in 2020, after 67 years of marriage. Dorothy lived her first 35 years in Ozone Park, Queens, while enjoying summers with her grandparents in Rockaway Beach. She graduated from Mount St Vincent’s College nursing school with a B.S.N. highest honors and became a nurse for St Vincent’s Hospital. A member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help R.C.C., she met her future husband Donald at a high school confraternity dance. Dorothy & Donald married in 1953 and soon they were raising five children in the little house in which she had grown up. In 1966, they moved out to Holbrook, joining St Joseph’s R.C.C. in Ronkonkoma. Dot continued her education, again exceling, attending graduate courses (while not looking down at the knitting she was constantly doing). She became a compassionate but no-nonsense, highly effective, School Nurse Teacher for thousands of children while working for Sachem Central Schools, primarily at the high school. She retired only to enthusiastically pursue a “second career”, helping to raise six of her grandsons all around Long Island.

Above all, her dedication and purpose came from being a loving mother and grandmother. She was an “all in” mom and grandma— sewing communion dresses, pajamas, curtains and more. She insisted on a strong effort in school. She was always prepared and busy - baking, playing Scrabble (until her last day), traveling far and wide to watch her grandchildren play sports and for other events and milestones, all while providing care whenever and wherever needed. She savored big family gatherings and even traveled to several of her grandchildren’s weddings just this past year. She was a “force of nature”, constantly active, always looking to be useful and to make a practical difference, inspiring her family with amazing self-sacrifice, resourcefulness, calm support in a crisis, and her direct, (somewhat impatient), yet witty approach. Her family will never see Jeopardy or Mash on TV, or a crossword puzzle, rice pudding, Friendly’s ice cream, or decide whether to travel on Sunrise Highway without thinking of her. She was content in this world as long as her family was good, and she didn’t get stuck at the red light, and the sermon didn’t go on too long. A special thanks to the Babylon Beach House team for the wonderful care they provided over the last years of her life. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity or a cause that is important to you.