New Bedford - Dorothy H. (Healy) Fortier died peacefully on Friday, December 20, 2019. She was the wife of the late William R. Fortier, Sr. to whom she was married for 61 years. Daughter of the late Alice (Haggerty) Healy and Thomas F. Healy, Jr., she was born in New Bedford and was a lifelong resident of the city.
Dorothy graduated from New Bedford High School, Class of 1945 and became employed at Morse Twist Drill. For most of her life, however, she was a devoted full time homemaker and loving mother. She enjoyed reading, traveling and dining at area restaurants. She was a Patriots and Red Sox fan. Her faith was very important to her and she was a communicant of Our Lady of Fatima Church.
Dorothy is survived by her children, Carol A. Rochefort and her husband, Richard of Fairhaven, Debra J. Sullivan and her husband, Leo of Warren, R.I., and William R. Fortier, Jr. of Fairhaven; four grandchildren, Timothy Sullivan and his wife, Mallory, Kevin Sullivan and his wife, Roxana, Jason Fortier and his wife, Ashley and Kristin Brother and her husband, Jarred; four great-grandchildren, Liam and Maeve Sullivan, Ellis Fortier, Hazel Brother and another great-granddaughter expected in April. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Kathleen Thompson and her husband, Ellsworth of Georgia and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Thomas F. Healy, III, and Warren J. Healy.
Her funeral Mass will take place on Wednesday, January 8th at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 4256 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford at 11:00 AM with relatives and friends being received at the church from 10:30 to11:00 AM. Burial in Mass National Cemetery is private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to Boston Children’s Hospital in memory of Dorothy Fortier. Contributions can be made at bostonchildrens.org/givenow. Or mail check payable to Boston Children’s Hospital, to Boston Children’s Hospital Trust, 401 Park Drive, Suite 602, Boston, MA 02215-5301. Please include Dorothy Fortier’s name in the memo line.