Worked as aide at St. Luke’s Hospital, Middleboro
Lakeville – Dorothy “Dottie” Christine Reed, 95, formerly of East Taunton, died October 16, 2013 at Island Terrace Nursing home with her best friend at her bedside.
Born on October 1, 1918 in Putnam, CT, she was the beloved youngest daughter of the late Beatrice (Kennedy) Reed and Volney Voltaire Reed, and sister to the late Harriet Lydia Reed and the late Andrew (“Buster”) Allen Reed. The family moved to East Taunton when she was 15 years old. She has lived on Middleboro Ave., Staples Street, Liberty Street, and most recently on South Precinct Street, all in East Taunton, before becoming a resident of Island Terrace Nursing Home in January of 2011.
Dorothy started working at 17 years of age as a nurse’s aide at Taunton State Hospital during the depression. Always a hard worker, she stayed for days at Taunton State Hospital during the famous St. Valentine’s Day Blizzard of 1940, helping to cover for the nurses and aides unable to make it in to work. Next she joined her father at New Process Twist Drill in Taunton, MA, working as a cutter-clearer making drills during WWII. After her father died, she worked at Long Meadow Nursing Home as a nurse’s aide, eventually placing her mother there. She enjoyed working with “the older folks”. Her last job was at St. Luke’s Hospital in Middleboro, where she retired as a nurse’s aide in 1980 at the age of 62. She took care of her mother and father throughout their later years and remained single her entire life.
In her younger years she enjoyed taking long walks with her father in what is now the “bird development” off Caswell Street, and the Powhattan Estates off Staples Street in East Taunton. She also enjoyed gardening, cooking, shopping, light carpentry, taking care of her house, and playing with her beloved German Shepherd, “Brandy”. She became an avid knitter and crochetier, making hundreds of lap robes and afghans that she gave to many residents of local nursing homes. She also loved to crochet baby blankets, hats and scarves that were given to her adopted boys as well as many lucky recipients. She loved helping people. She enjoyed watching the TV game shows, bowling and golf - she was an avid Tiger Woods fan. Towards the end she enjoyed doing Search-A-Word puzzles, participating in the many activities at Island Terrace, and “staying out of trouble”. She had a great sense of humor.
She will be sorely missed by her adopted family who loved and cared for her- best friend Barbara Sherman-White, her husband Douglas White, her three sons George Michael Sherman, Jr. of St. Louis, MO, William Tecumseh Sherman of Harker Heights, TX, currently serving in Afghanistan, and Matthew Thomas Sherman of Fall River, MA; her church family at Christ Community Church in East Taunton; and the loving staff at Island Terrace Nursing Home in Lakeville. She loved and was loved by them all.
A Memorial Service of the Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 16th, at 11am at the 518 Middleboro Ave church campus. In lieu of flowers, she wished that donations be made in her memory towards Christ Community Church’s new sanctuary, located on Stevens Street in East Taunton, MA. Donations can be sent to: Christ Community Church P.O. Box 325 East Taunton, MA 02718.