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Services
The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday October 17th from 4-8pm. At VanderMay Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, October 18th at VanderMay Funeral home at 10 AM. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa, NJ.
Dorothy (Dottie) Carlson (nee Parker), age 82, passed away peacefully on October 13th 2016 surrounded by her family at Merry Heart Health Care Center in Boonton, NJ. She was born on May 24th 1934 in Bainbridge, GA, daughter to the late Evelyn (nee Alday) and Benjamin Parker.
In high school in Paterson, NJ Dottie met a handsome blue eyed football player named Carl Carlson. They fell in love and after high school Carl joined the Navy. They married on June 6, 1954. Carl was stationed in Norfolk, VA and Dottie lived in Paterson, N.J. In 1957 when Carl came home from the Navy they moved to Wayne, NJ. It was shortly after the move that Carl nicknamed Dottie “Molly” after the ever-talking character in Fibber McGee and Molly. The nickname stuck for the duration of their 56 year marriage. The license plate for their car read “Molly N Me”. Molly was a “jack of all trades” and she became involved in many activities through the years. To name a few: Toy Buyer, Brownie Leader, Wayne Fire Company #1 Lady Auxiliary member, Avon Lady, Crossing Guard, Waitress, Demonstrator, Popular Club Distributor, Associate in the Transportation Department of GAF Corp., Counter Manager for cosmetic sales, newspaper article writer, local Democratic Association member, and Chair Lady for the Wayne Browse and Shop. In addition, she was well recognized for her unique driving techniques. Riding in the car with her was a nail-biting, stomach-churning experience. Despite her driving challenges, she was able to navigate herself to almost anywhere from New Jersey to Virginia, Virginia to Pennsylvania, and back to New Jersey. Family members would joke, and place bets on how far she would make it before getting lost or pulled-over. To their amazement she always reached her destination safe and sound.
Dottie and Carl resided in Wayne for 45 years before moving to be with family in Vernon, NJ. Dottie took incredible pride in raising her children and grandchildren. She was a long-term advocate for education of children, Native American reservations, and Humane Societies for animals. Dottie loved to read, and was well known by her friends and family for her expansive collection of classic novels and movies. Throughout Dottie and Carl’s 56 year marriage they took many vacations and day trips. Fort Myers, Florida was one of their favorite spots to visit. Regardless of where they went, Carl would be behind the wheel of the car and “Molly” in the passenger seat.
In the years following Dottie’s retirement, she focused her attention on keeping a close and intimate family. Dottie looked for any excuse to host a party to see her whole family, and everybody remembers her at these events smiling and laughing.
Dottie is preceded in spirit by her husband Carl Carlson who passed in 2010. She is survived by her four loving children; Laura and her husband Peter Chianchiano, Ellen and her husband George (Sandy) Nimmo, Tom and his wife Helen Carlson and Jennifer Contino. She is also survived by her four grandchildren; Benjamin and Peter Chianchiano, and Carl and Julia Contino, and her brother Al Parker and his wife Phyllis, as well as several nieces and nephews.
She truly loved her blue eyed football player, her children, her grandchildren, close friends and butter pecan ice cream.
Contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org)
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday October 17th from 4-8pm. At VanderMay Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, October 18th at VanderMay Funeral home at 10 AM. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa, NJ.
Services
The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday October 17th from 4-8pm. At VanderMay Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, October 18th at VanderMay Funeral home at 10 AM. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa, NJ.
Dorothy (Dottie) Carlson (nee Parker), age 82, passed away peacefully on October 13th 2016 surrounded by her family at Merry Heart Health Care Center in Boonton, NJ. She was born on May 24th 1934 in Bainbridge, GA, daughter to the late Evelyn (nee Alday) and Benjamin Parker.
In high school in Paterson, NJ Dottie met a handsome blue eyed football player named Carl Carlson. They fell in love and after high school Carl joined the Navy. They married on June 6, 1954. Carl was stationed in Norfolk, VA and Dottie lived in Paterson, N.J. In 1957 when Carl came home from the Navy they moved to Wayne, NJ. It was shortly after the move that Carl nicknamed Dottie “Molly” after the ever-talking character in Fibber McGee and Molly. The nickname stuck for the duration of their 56 year marriage. The license plate for their car read “Molly N Me”. Molly was a “jack of all trades” and she became involved in many activities through the years. To name a few: Toy Buyer, Brownie Leader, Wayne Fire Company #1 Lady Auxiliary member, Avon Lady, Crossing Guard, Waitress, Demonstrator, Popular Club Distributor, Associate in the Transportation Department of GAF Corp., Counter Manager for cosmetic sales, newspaper article writer, local Democratic Association member, and Chair Lady for the Wayne Browse and Shop. In addition, she was well recognized for her unique driving techniques. Riding in the car with her was a nail-biting, stomach-churning experience. Despite her driving challenges, she was able to navigate herself to almost anywhere from New Jersey to Virginia, Virginia to Pennsylvania, and back to New Jersey. Family members would joke, and place bets on how far she would make it before getting lost or pulled-over. To their amazement she always reached her destination safe and sound.
Dottie and Carl resided in Wayne for 45 years before moving to be with family in Vernon, NJ. Dottie took incredible pride in raising her children and grandchildren. She was a long-term advocate for education of children, Native American reservations, and Humane Societies for animals. Dottie loved to read, and was well known by her friends and family for her expansive collection of classic novels and movies. Throughout Dottie and Carl’s 56 year marriage they took many vacations and day trips. Fort Myers, Florida was one of their favorite spots to visit. Regardless of where they went, Carl would be behind the wheel of the car and “Molly” in the passenger seat.
In the years following Dottie’s retirement, she focused her attention on keeping a close and intimate family. Dottie looked for any excuse to host a party to see her whole family, and everybody remembers her at these events smiling and laughing.
Dottie is preceded in spirit by her husband Carl Carlson who passed in 2010. She is survived by her four loving children; Laura and her husband Peter Chianchiano, Ellen and her husband George (Sandy) Nimmo, Tom and his wife Helen Carlson and Jennifer Contino. She is also survived by her four grandchildren; Benjamin and Peter Chianchiano, and Carl and Julia Contino, and her brother Al Parker and his wife Phyllis, as well as several nieces and nephews.
She truly loved her blue eyed football player, her children, her grandchildren, close friends and butter pecan ice cream.
Contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org)
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