COOPERSTOWN – Dorothy Elizabeth O’Connor Amaro peacefully entered into eternal rest Sunday morning, September 20, 2026, at her granddaughter Kristen’s home in Cooperstown. She was 98.
Born September 17, 1928, in Brooklyn, Dorothy was the daughter of Edward V. and Isabelle (Wynne) O’Connor.
Dorothy attended Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Catholic Academy of Brooklyn then later graduated from Fort Hamilton High
School. Directly out of school, she obtained a position at The Far East
Conference as a secretary where she was often praised for being a fine broth of
an Irish woman. Dorothy was then employed as a secretary for Anaconda Copper
Mining Company at their offices in Manhattan, a job she was very proud of and
excelled at. Following her divorce, she was employed on Long Island as a
secretary for the Suffolk County Department of Social Services and then as the
Captain’s secretary for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. She was an
excellent secretary and her skill with typing, penmanship, spelling, and
grammar were qualities much valued by her employers.
In 1962, Dorothy moved from Brooklyn to
Wading River and lived there for many years where she loved to spend time on
the beach with her children. Upon her retirement in 1993, she moved to
Cooperstown where she loved the beautiful historic small village and the
accessibility of all the necessities. During her retirement, she volunteered at
Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital and would often fondly recount stories of
patients she helped and her co-volunteers that had helped her.
Above all, Dorothy was devoted to and
loved her family. From a youth she would help take care of younger siblings,
nieces, nephews, and cousins with love and kindness. Into her adult and elder
years she poured her love and generosity into her children and grandchildren
and was also fortunate to spend time with her great grandchildren who she
absolutely adored. She was known for having an open door with a cup of coffee
or tea and being near to the phone if anyone should need her.
Dorothy, as a devout Roman Catholic, loved
the religious retreats she would attend with her sisters, cousins, and aunts.
She was also an avid reader, knowledge seeker, and loved to sit at a table next
to a window chatting with her loved ones. She was always impeccably dressed and
took great pride in her own appearance as well as the appearance of her home.
Dorothy will be fondly remembered for
being loving, patient, kind, generous to a fault, having a wonderful sense of
humor, a quick intelligent mind and for being a stunning beauty.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her
former husband, Edwin Amaro, who died June 25, 1995; a daughter, Susan
Elizabeth Amaro, who died March 8, 2007; and 4 siblings, her older brother,
Edward V. O’Connor, and younger siblings Barbara Ann (O’Connor) Doherty, Joseph J. O’Connor, and Kathleen Mary
(O’Connor) Fontana.
Dorothy is survived by her daughter,
Laurel O’Brien of Fly Creek; six grandchildren, Ashleen Fredriksen (Rylan
Pantall), Melissa Bellois (Chloe Lucarelli), Kristen Bellois (Chad Bellanger), Shannon
Rocconi (Justin Badore), Samantha Bellois, and Joseph Amaro; nine great
grandchildren, Nikolai Fredriksen, Johnathan Quinones, Jude Fredriksen, Arianna
Badore, Kennedy Klein, Olin Fredriksen, Madyson Mendez, Nova Pantall, and Luka Badore. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Mary O’Connor of New Milford,
CT, Melissa and Kristen’s father, Kevin Bellois of Sound Beach, Long Island,
Ashleen and Shannon’s father, Robert Rocconi of Fly Creek, Madyson’s father,
Sergio Mendez of Cobleskill, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are welcome to pay
their respects from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Saturday, October 10, 2026, at
the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street,
Cooperstown. With respect for Dorothy’s love of almost always wearing leopard
or animal print blouses, all attending are encouraged to wear something
similar.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be
celebrated at 12 Noon Saturday, October 10, 2026, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of
the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev.
Michael G. Cambi, Pastor officiating.
At a later date, Dorothy will be laid to
rest with her daughter, Susan, in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown.
With appreciation for the wonderful care
provided to Dorothy and her family, expressions of sympathy in the form of
memorial donations may be directed to Helios Care, 297 River Street Service
Road, Oneonta, NY 13820, or Cooperstown
Emergency Squad, PO Box 322, Cooperstown, NY
13326.
Arrangements are under the care and
guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
