Dorothy (Dot) Manning Gagnon, 88, of Manchester passed away on December 28, 2013 surrounded by her loving family.
Dot was born on October 2, 1925 in Manchester, the youngest child of Thomas and Susan Manning. She graduated from St. Joseph High School for Girls in 1944 and the NH School of Accounting and Finance in 1945. She was employed at John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company for twenty-seven years.
In 1952 she married the love of her life, Russ Gagnon, a young Manchester firefighter. Together they raised their daughter and created a home filled with love and many cherished memories. Those memories remained the sustaining force in her life, following Russ’ sudden death in 1972.
Dot was a loving wife, mother, and daughter whose family was the center of her life. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood growing up with her brothers and cousin, Elizabeth (Betty) Flanagan Gill, who was like a sister to her. She had special affection and love for Betty’s children, Erin Lord, CAPT Sean Gill, USCG and Shane Gill. Dot cherished her summers at the beach and holidays at home with family and friends. She dearly loved her Boston Terriers “Muffin” and “Biscuit” and often said that having a dog made a house truly a home. She will be forever remembered for her immaculate home, her lovely style of entertaining for holidays and special occasions and her deep devotion to her religion and family.
Dot is survived by her daughter an son-in-law, Susan and Thomas Myers of Manchester; nephews, Thomas Manning and wife Nancy of Manchester, Francis Manning and wife Joan of Manchester, Donald Bisson and wife Marsha of Springhill, FL; nieces Kathleen Sullivan of Concord, Sandra Dyer and husband Gerald of North Fort Myers, FL. Dot had a great love for all of her nephews, nieces and their families. She also leaves to beloved cousins, Edward Flanagan and Edna Flanagan, both of Manchester.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by three brothers, Thomas Manning Jr, Francis Manning, and William Manning, her niece Susan Manning Harris and her great-nephew Thomas Sullivan.
The family would like to thank the staff of Courville at Manchester for their many kindnesses and compassionate care during the final years of Dot’s life.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Friday, January 3, 2014 in St. Anne-St. Augustin Church. Burial followed in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bedford.
Donations may be made in her memory to the Monastery of the Precious Blood, 700 Bridge St, Manchester, NH 03104.