Dorothy Moffett Bodine, the youngest of two daughters, was born in Denver, Colorado, on November 23, 1912, to John and Henrietta Moffett. She shared a love of the outdoors, adventure, and medicine with her father who was a physician, and would often join him on medical house calls and well as on weekend excursions fishing or hiking in the woods. She grew up in Port Huron, Michigan and Greenville, Ohio, and dreamed of becoming a nurse.  Following high school and few speakeasy hijinks just a few steps ahead of her District Attorney brother-in-law, she started nursing training at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, and completed her degree at Mount St Joseph’s in Cincinnati.

Ambition and a hunger to see the world led her to follow up on a proposal to take a position with the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in New York City, known as a cutting edge practice at the time. New York City, a world away from Greenville and the Midwest, proved to be a stimulating, educational, and exciting adventure. In the course of her practice she worked with  Helen Keller, but also came across a handsome young man, Oliver H. Bodine, who eventually became her husband of 44 years.

Dorothy and Oliver moved first to Northport and then settled in Huntington on Long Island, New York in 1943 where they raised three children, Oliver (Blue), Barbara, and John.  While raising her children Dorothy also continued her nursing career part-time at Huntington’s  North Shore Medical Group in the OB/GYN department during the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 1959 she learned that she had developed breast cancer and without hesitation, underwent mastectomy surgery and radiation. On the day of her passing she was a  breast cancer survivor of 55 years. Dorothy was devoted to her husband and children, her nieces and nephews, and thereafter to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  The kitchen was her domain, and many a grand feast was lovingly prepared – from festive luaus, momentous Thanksgivings, a la carte lunches with slices of ham and cheese rolled decoratively onto a platter, or a plate of fresh cookies for the crew who came to trim her hedges.  The ‘washing-up’ after a family gathering was filled with love too, as 3-part vocal harmonies were often heard wafting out the kitchen door and across the neighborhood.

Following her husband Oliver’s death in 1982, Dorothy found herself drawn once again by her adventurous spirit to “see the world.” From cruises off the coast of Alaska, to Colorado River raft trips, alpine hiking in Austria, touring the Canadian Rockies, sailing around an  iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland, to floating through the tulip fields of Keukenhof, Holland, and even a five week camping trip with her family, she never let the grass grow under her feet. Her sharp wit and sparkling sense of humor never faded, nor did her prowess at cards and board games. She would lure her co-players in with a faux helpless demeanor and then systematically “run the table!”

Dorothy continued to live independently and exercise her role as the loving matriarch of her family well into her 90s.  She embraced change even then – learning how to use a cell phone, browse the web on a computer, and send emails to her expanding family.  She rarely forgot a birthday or an anniversary, and at 96 years old, while overlooking the inland bay at Key Largo, Florida during a wedding reception, suggested an interest in parasailing. It was only after the ride, soaring up to 750 feet above the water, that she let the operator know she was actually 16 years over the cut-off age of 80 years old posted on their sign! The photo of her landing went viral on the web.

At 99 she suffered a stroke that took much of her strength as well as her speech, but she would still rally for special moments, using gestures and dramatic facial expressions to get her point across – her wit and personality were still very much intact.  She was able to remain in her home of 68 years until her death.  Dorothy is survived by her children, Oliver  (Blue) Bodine, Barbara Pitfick, and John (w. Linda) Bodine, as well as 8 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and countless nieces, nephews, neighbors, and family friends.  She would have rolled her eyes and smacked the rear of the person she caught publically calling her a great lady, but that is what she was.  Be well and at peace Mom, Dot, Dort, Dorothy, Gram, Great-Gram. You are loved forever by all your little ‘birds.’