Some people deserve a long obituary: in a way, it is a tribute to the number of people’s lives they have touched, so for Dottie Brandt, it is a given. A long line of mourners stretched down the street from the Francis P. DeVine Funeral Home, in Oyster Bay, where Dorothy R. Brandt, known to everyone as “Dottie,” was laid to rest, soon after her death on Friday, Sept. 12.
Dottie was a beautiful woman that age couldn’t change. When your warmth, spirit and love come from the inside, it keeps the outside looking bright and fresh. Dottie was always smiling, full of energy and always willing to help people.
She was a longtime member of the Oyster Bay Republican Club and when Daniel Walker was asked if she should be called “Mrs. Republican,” he said, “At Dottie’s wake I was trying to think of a term to describe her place in Oyster Bay. What I came up with was that she was ‘the most significant person in Oyster Bay.’ She knew and was friendly to everybody.
“She had amazing recollection. She remembered and spoke highly of my mother, who was the Oyster Bay High School librarian from 1943 to 1945. She always seemed to be everywhere, and seemed ageless. People loved her. Her wake at DeVine Funeral Home was so packed that we had to wait 40 minutes to get in the door. St. Dominic’s chapel was full with so many familiar faces. The service was very moving. I would rather call her ‘Mrs. Oyster Bay’ because she touched so many lives of so many different generations.”
Dottie was born Feb. 26, 1927 and died at age 87 on Sept. 12, 2014. She had worked for Republic Aviation and was a crossing guard at St. Dominic’s. She was pre-deceased by her husband Albert. She was active in many community organizations.
“She was always helping someone,” said her daughter Judy.
Rotarian Beverly Zembko, who is active with St. Dominic’s, added, “Dottie was Rotary’s main contact person for the Beechbrook Seniors; Rotary would invite them every year to our Italian dinner for seniors at OBHS. More recently, we invited them to the annual school play at OBHS.
“Dottie was always kind, personable and upbeat. I often saw her at church, too. Her faith and her glorious demeanor never ceased to amaze and inspire me. She was a wonderful human being inside and out!”
Dottie was the current president of the Beechbrook Seniors, following in the steps of her late brother-in-law, James “Tiny” Brandt, who had held the position for a long time.
Mickey Haxhurst, past regent of the Catholic Daughters said, “I’ve known Dottie for a longtime. She was a very spiritual person. She was always willing to help anyone. She was a very loyal friend, always visiting and calling and bringing them something. If she knew someone needed help, she would look into it. She was a very beautiful person.”
Rotarian Judith Wasilchuk was another of Dottie’s friends in the community. She recalled the days when Foodtown was the new store on Pine Hollow Road, now Stop & Shop. “They were throwing out day-old bread into a dumpster. Joanie James observed that and she was furious, saying, ‘they didn’t even mark it down in price for sale.’ So she got in touch with a bakery person and said, ‘You can’t throw out what people can eat.’ She asked if she could get people together to collect the bread. [Owner Irwin Tantleff agreed.] I was one of them and Dottie was my partner. We did Saturday mornings. They were nice enough to package the bread in brown paper bags for us. They would get it ready and we went in and took the packages out in grocery carts. I had a big van at the time. We took the bread to Joanie’s house and she would distribute it.”
Wasilchuk said, “Judy, her daughter, and I are good friends. We were 4-H leaders and did other things together, so we always kept connected. She was such a part of not only her generation, but of others, too. She was a wonderful lady. She invited me to lunch with her at the Life Enrichment Center, saying it was so good.”
Eileen McFetridge, former Mill Neck resident, had another view of Dottie’s caring. She said, “Dottie welcomed Luz Torres, social worker, who had come to support our Hispanic newcomers. Dottie welcomed new ideas to support our youth and our struggling seniors and welcomed the Interreligous Council working to bring our good neighbors together to help grow community in this area.”
Dottie’s granddaughter, Kelly Walles spoke eloquently at the funeral, according to Dan Walker.
Godchild and neighbor Charlotte Doering Longo, Senator Carl Marcellino’s research assistant, did a reading at the funeral. She said, “She will be truly missed throughout Oyster Bay. Everybody knew her and loved her. She did a lot of good for the town and the Oyster Bay Republican party, and the needy and through her faith, at Saint Dominic’s. Dottie was the social director of the Oyster Bay Republican Club.
“She was just someone who believed in her community and town and she gave everyone her best. There was a picture of her in the Enterprise Pilot at the Senator’s 9/11 ceremony, on West End Avenue,” said Charlotte.
Dottie was the beloved wife of the late Albert (Buddy), and devoted mother of Judy (Bob) Walles. Cherished grandmother of Kelly, Jessica (Matthew), Robert (Samantha), and Kristy. She was the proud great-grandmother of 1-year-old Kayla. She is also survived by many loving family members and friends.
Dottie was very proud of her granddaughter Kristy, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology who today works with Overseas Military Services. She helps the overseas military get needed supplies, said her dad, Bob. In a way, she is following in her grandmother’s footsteps, helping others, as does Dottie’s daughter Judy, a nurse.
Hearing Judy speak, you can hear Dottie’s voice coming through. It is a beautiful thing.
The wake was held at the Francis P. DeVine Funeral Home Inc., on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 15 and 16. A Funeral Mass was held on Sept. 17, in St. Dominic’s R.C. Chapel. Interment St. John’s Memorial Cemetery.
