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Myra & Boris posted a condolence
So sorry for your loss. Now Dot is beyond pain and decline, and she has left so many memories for her loved ones to share.
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Lois Baldermann posted a condolence
I miss you so much already. I keep thinking of all the good times, and all the good memories we shared together. You will always be in my heart, and you will always be my second mom. All my Love, Lois
K
Kelley posted a condolence
We love you and miss you Great Gran!! The kids will miss visiting you at the Center. I hope your at peace now with Dad B. Love ya always, Jr., Kelley, Haley and Freddy
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The Nester Family posted a condolence
Dot is a sweet, friendly, and lovely soul. We will miss her smile and her gentleness.
T
Tina Baldermann posted a condolence
I'm so happy we spent special times together. Just the two of us - reading "our" favorite book. I'll treasure those memories forever. I was so fortunate to have such a wonderful grandmother! Who else would let me eat peanut butter and honey in a bowl!!!!
And I still eat it to this day. You raised two wonderful sons. The first was a great man, my Dad, who you are with now. Give him a hug and kiss from me until the day I can do it myself. The other is my Uncle Lou who has always been there if I needed him. Now its my turn to be there for him. I love you grandmom with all my heart.
Tina
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Lou Baldermann posted a condolence
About My Mom
11/19/15-11/23/07
Mom was born Dorothy Cecelia Doughty on November 19, 1915 as an only child, to Lillian Rose and Frederick Raymond Doughty in Collingswood, NJ, where she grew up most of her life. Her father was a carpenter and a builder and she had an adventure as a young girl when she spent about a year or so living and camping in a tent on the beach of Miami Beach, Florida while her Dad built an elaborate beachfront house for a client. She graduated from Collingswood High School, Class of 1933. She went on to graduate Nursing School at Cooper Hospital. She enjoyed traveling as a young woman, with trips to Cuba, Florida, South Dakota, and Canada to name a few.
As a nurse, she concentrated on the area of psychiatric nursing and worked mainly at Lakeland Mental Hospital. This is where she met my father, who was working there as an attendant at the time, also know as an orderly or aid. They were married on September 14, 1941 and Mom went from being a city girl to a country girl, moving to Atco. Her marriage to my father was initially a disappointment to her parents, who had aspirations of her marrying a doctor instead of someone that was blue collar. They basically disowned her and refused to attend her wedding, but she was a determined individual and walked herself down the aisle. They were married in the Atco Methodist Church and she was a member there for many years. Her parents later mended fences and became close. I can still remember parts of a train trip to Florida when she took my brother and I to visit them when I was only about 2 ½ years old.
She left formal nursing after she gave birth to my brother Fred on January 20th, 1943. Her new family situation was full of many responsibilities and she took care of many family members over the years as a nurse, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, aunt, and mother. She was hard working and handled all or her roles to the best of her ability.
As an only child, her mother never let her try many of the homemaking skills that many of the girls of her era learned. Grandmother Baldermann helped her learn to cook and bake and do many of the other chores involved in running a household. She enjoyed baking and became quite good. She made the best apple crisp, bread pudding, poor-man cupcakes, and cookies, especially oatmeal raisin and cutout sugar cookies with sprinkles. She also enjoyed playing pinochle, reading, singing in a choir, fishing, and watching football and baseball as well as some NASCAR racing. She often would out fish the men and there is a picture in the slide show of her holding a $25 pool winning fish. She was known at times to watch one game on TV and listen to another on the radio. Later in life she would attend and watch some of her grandson Fred ’s soccer or baseball games while listening to a game on her radio. People in the stands knew whom they could ask about the score of the big game.
On November 21st of 1953, I came along as a surprise, not only because it was almost 11 years after the birth of my brother, but also because once she got over the surprise of being pregnant again, she thought she was going to have a little girl. She even had a girl’s name picked out – Nancy Lee. Well as Gomer Pyle used to say,“ Surprise, surprise, surprise!� She loved me, nonetheless.
During the 1960’s, she returned to nursing to help with the family finances, this time as a maternity nurse at Edgewood Hospital, now known as Virtua in Berlin. Her time there was cut short as a result of serious injuries she suffered when she and my father were involved an auto accident. This was one of the many hard times, along with the illness and deaths of family members she endured during her life, along with her own health issues.
She later returned to work again as Supervisor of Nursing Services at Lakeland Psychiatric Hospital. Her experiences in a maternity and in a psychiatric hospital lead her to believe in the influence of a full moon. However, she never was harmed or had serious problems with any of her patients during her career. Indeed she got along with people of all backgrounds, races, religions, and political parties. She was affectionately known to many as “Aunt Dot�.
When she retired, she joined the Archway Senior Citizens group and the Waterford Township Senior Citizens, where she enjoyed the friendships, activities, and trips they would go on, adding to her list of travel destinations she visited. She worked sometimes as a Substitute School Nurse and was on duty one day when my nephew Fred got hurt at school and needed some stitches. She also worked for many years during election days as a poll worker. She enjoyed her family and was proud of them and loved them all. She was proud to be a grandmother and a great-grandmother. She had a tendency to need to know everything that was going on around her- a little hard of hearing, yet could hear every whisper spoken about her. She was the source of a lot of laughter in our family, often because she took things so seriously, she could not tell when someone was pulling her leg, like when Anthony would always ask her if she wanted a cup of coffee, just to get a rise out of her. Mom never drank coffee and would adamantly tell you so.
When her health began to fail with age, she moved into Spring Oak Assisted Living and later into Virtua Health and Rehabilitation Center in Berlin. As a nurse, she helped take good care of many. As a patient, many helped take good care of her. Thanks go out to all.
It gave me great personal satisfaction that she was proud of me. She was always a strong believer in education and when I would visit her she would proudly tell those around her, “That’s my son, he’s a teacher!�
Mom turned 92 on Monday, November 19th, 2007. That’s a long life. It wasn’t always an easy life, but one she lived to the best of her ability, with determination and faith. She loved her family and had a sweet soul and a sweet tooth. Dessert was her favorite part of any meal. Anyone that visited her at home always looked forward to getting a pink mint from her candy dish- the one located at the guest book area here today.
Wednesday the 21st was my birthday. I had a ½ day of school and went to visit Mom. I knew the situation was not good and when I got home, I knew I wanted to go for what I call a mental health motorcycle ride. Donna had given me a few new music CDs for my birthday. I put one into the CD player on my motorcycle and took off and tried to come to terms with things. As I rode late into the day, the lovely sunset and raising full moon framed the scene. The last song on the CD was one that put it all into perspective and helped me come to peace with it all. We’ll listen to it in just a bit.
Going forward, my Thanksgiving reflections will now include a sweet memory. On Thanksgiving Day as I was leaving from my visit with Mom, I told her that I loved her and she responded with, “I know, I love you too.� Those were the last words we got to exchange. She passed away after my visit on the evening of the next day, Friday, November 23rd. She is at peace now and in a better place. We should not mourn her loss, but rather celebrate her life. There is a saying that when one door closes, another opens. That is appropriate as Crissy told us on Tuesday that she is with child and we should get ready to become grandparents. The circle of life continues.
I would like to thank you all for your love and support and read something that was written by Lawrence Craig-Green. Some of you may recognize it from one of our Christmas cards we sent out a few years back. It reads:
People so seldom say I love you… and then it’s either too late… or love goes…. So when I tell you I love you… it doesn’t mean I know you’ll never go, only that I wish you didn’t have to.
Now, prior to Rev. Hawk concluding our service, I would like you to share with you the song I mentioned that to me fits the occasion.
It’s a new Eagles song called It’s Your World Now.
A perfect day – The sun is sinkin’ low
As evening falls, the gentle breezes blow
The time we shared went by so fast
Just like a dream, we knew it wouldn’t last
But I’d do it all again, if I could somehow
But I must be leavin’ soon
It’s your world now
It’s your world now - my race is run
I’m moving on, like the setting sun
No sad goodbyes; no tears allowed
You’ll be all right
It’s your world now
Even when we are apart- you’ll always be in my heart
When dark clouds appear in the sky, remember true love never dies
But first a kiss - one glass of wine
Just one more dance, while there’s still time
My one last wish: Someday you’ll see
How hard I tried and how much you meant to me
It’s your world now
Use well your time
Be part of something good
Leave something good behind
The curtain falls
I take my bows
That’s how it’s meant to be
It’s your world now
b
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Tuesday, June 12, 2018
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