Virginia R. Dorsey

Virginia "Ginny" Dorsey, 93, died Saturday morning, January 16, 2010. Beloved wife of the late Thomas Francis Dorsey, she leaves her three children, Deborah Dorsey of Lincoln, Joanne Geary of Manomet and Dr. Tom Dorsey of Weymouth. Ginny was the last surviving member of her family: her mother, Dehlia Mulrooney, from Galway, Ireland, her father James "Papa Jim" Doherty from LIverpool and her brothers: James Doherty of Dorchester, Vincent Doherty of Newton and Thomas Burke Doherty of Newton. And, her sisters: Sr. Mother Raphael of Hollywood, California and Ruth Twigg of San Francisco, California. Ginny loved long-stemmed red roses and would always talk about how truly beautiful they were. She loved to dine of fresh cold shrimp while sipping on a fine Champagne. As often as she could, Ginny would travel to Florida with her nephew Bryan Geary to watch the Red Sox in Spring Training. She was an avid red sox fan and in her later years watched every game with her dear friend King. Ginny grew up in a large house in Allston, Massachusetts and was one of 6 children. At Brighton High School, she was the president of the Drama Club. After graduating from Bryant & Stratton, Ginny secured a job at the Harvard Business School. She met Tom Dorsey at a dance, dated for several years and they were married in 1940 at the Boston College Chapel. With the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Tom join the Army. Fluent in Greek from his studies at Boston College, Captain Tom Dorsey, led the only Greek Regiment in the armed forces. In 1944, he was injured during the Battle of the Bulge and sent to Fort Devans to recuperate. Upon his recovery, Captain Dorsey received the Purple Heart. After 10 years of marriage, not thinking they could have children, Deborah was born. Ten months later came Joanne and eleven months after that came Tod. With three babies in diapers, Ginny always said that she didn't know how she made it through the young years. The family moved from Cambridge to Needham. Tom worked for the Ford Motor Company in Framingham, but in the mid 50s got a job offer with Mercedes Benz in Berkeley, California. The family set out to begin a new life on the West Coast, but numerous transfers brought the family from Berkeley, to Denver, to Indiana and finally back to Newton, Massachusetts. In 1972, Tom Dorsey passed away after many years of struggling with a heart condition. Ginny worked as a Librarian at the Newton Wellesley Hospital for over 25 years where she became an expert in helping doctors find the information they needed. She loved to go to breakfast at Friendly's with her grand daughter Kate Geary and then they would make a quick detour to Brighams for a black and white frappe. Kate and Ginny would often go deep sea fishing where they would catch big fish - never to eat - they always throw them back. Ginny loved to take people out to eat. Familiar words were always, "My treat." One of her favorite places was the Hilltop Steakhouse. She loved to go to Bingo every Wednesday night with her sister-in-law, Gloria Doherty. Her daughter, Joanne, went with her a few times, where Ginny told her not to talk because she had to concentrate on her 20 cards that she was playing. As Ginny grew older, she took up residence at the Leland Home in Waltham where she lived for 10 years. Her niece, Dorothy Dorsey, who was the administrator at the Leland, played a very special role in Ginny's life making the Leland a real home. Dorothy would always say that when Ginny was young she was very beautiful - she looked so much like Loretta Young. For the past 3 years Ginny lived on the third floor of the Park Avenue Nursing and Rehab Center in Arlington where people like Mary Stratton, Seta, Paula, Maggie, Janet, Dorrett, Soloman and the dozens of other wonderful, caring and attentive people made Ginny's life so special. On her 93rd birthday, her grand daughter, Georgia Burns, gave her a small brown and white stuffed animal - a pony named, "Daisy May," which Ginny showed off and then held onto for comfort in her final hours. Ginny leaves her beloved grandchildren: Bryan Geary, Kate Geary, Virginia Willow Dorsey, Evan Dorsey, Bobby Burns and Georgia Burns, along with her many nieces and nephews, especially Laura Lee Taylor, Dorothy Dorsey, Barbara Wilcox, Gail Dorsey, Tommy Doherty, Sharon Clancy, and Maura Simmons . Also, a very special thank you to the members of the VNA Hospice who were so giving of their time, especially Mary O'Donnel, Natasha and Nick Doolittle. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Leland Home, 21 Newton Street, Waltham, MA 02453 or to the Park Avenue Nursing and Rehab Center Residents Association, 146 Park Avenue, Arlington, MA 02476. Family and friends will honor and remember Ginny's life by gathering at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 22nd at the Newton Cemetery Chapel, 791 Walnut Street, Newton where her funeral service will be held. Burial will follow in Newton Cemetery.