Obituary of Dorothy Gruenfelder

Dorothy Anne Rottkamp Gruenfelder (formerly Conti) a resident of Grahamsville, passed from this world to eternal life on the morning of November 29, 2018 in the comfort of the home she loved, surrounded by her family.

Dottie was born on May 14, 1948 at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens, to her loving parents John and Wilma Flieger Rottkamp.  One of four children, she spent a joyful childhood in Queens Village, where she attended Saints Joachim and Anne Grammar School, graduating in 1966 from St. Michael's High School in Brooklyn.  As a young woman, she worked for Metropolitan of New York.  After moving upstate, she was employed as a Secretary for Community General Hospital, before leaving her job to dedicate herself to the full-time care of her aging mother.

Dottie’s greatest joy was in caring for her family and creating a home filled with warmth, tradition and memories.   Her faith in God, complete devotion to her family, and unsurpassed example of sacrificial love will be the legacy that will live on in each of us. A woman of deep Catholic Christian faith, she was a longtime communicant of Immaculate Conception Church in Woodbourne.

Dottie leaves to cherish her memory her beloved husband of 21 years, Robert Gruenfelder at home, her two daughters, Lisa Conti Malone and her husband, Tom of Neversink and their son Mason, and Christy Conti Hernandez and her husband, Pedro of Liberty and their children Matthew, Grace, Christian, Maria, Pedro, Joseph and Robert, as well as her stepdaughter Elise Gruenfelder Pantino and her husband, Tom of East Northport and their daughter Julia.  She is also survived by her two brothers, John Rottkamp and his wife Carmel, and Raymond Rottkamp, her uncle, aunts and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, including her friend of 57 years, Barbara Armstrong and her former husband and friend, Charles Conti.  Among those who have gone before her are her parents, her stillborn daughter and son, her sister and best friend Cecilia Rutkowski, and her stepson Rob Gruenfelder.

Our family wishes to thank the countless relatives and friends who have walked alongside our Dottie on her journey.  A heartfelt thank you to Father Edward Bader for lovingly ministering to our family’s spiritual needs these past few months, and to Father John Lynch for the friendship and spiritual support he offered to Dottie over the years. We also wish to thank the dedicated medical professionals who have attended to her needs during the 27 years she battled cancer, especially Dr. Manuel Perry and the nurses and staff of the Oncology Department at Catskill Regional Medical Center, and Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties for the compassionate care they offered us, especially Brandi, Jessica and Robin.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Sunday, December 2nd at Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Route 52, Woodbourne, NY 12788.  A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:45 am on Monday, December 3rd at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 264 North Main Street, Liberty, NY 12754.  Father Ed Bader will be the Celebrant.

Memorial contributions can be made to the First Way Pregnancy Center, 481 Broadway, Suite 3, Monticello, NY 12701, or Ride2Survive Sullivan County, PO Box 282, Youngsville, NY  12791.

Arrangements under the care of Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, for further information call 845-434-7363 or visit www.colonialbryantfuneralhome.com