| Sources |
- [S224] accessed 16 Feb 2015), Obituary of Dorothy M. [Drinkwater] Blake; The Portland Press Hearld - Maine. (Reliability: 3), 16 Feb 2015.
Dorothy M. Blake
1927 - 2015 | Obituary | Condolences
Dorothy M. Blake Obituary
Dorothy May (Drinkwater) Blake, 87
SCARBOROUGH - Dorothy (Dot) May (Drinkwater) Blake passed away peacefully early on Friday morning, Feb. 13, 2015, at Piper Shores.
Dot was born on March 21, 1927, in Belfast. She was one of eight children and the daughter of Doris Ruth (Knight) and Edward Barker Drinkwater.
After graduating from Rockland High School in 1945, Dot moved to Portland and attended Maine General Hospital School of Nursing (predecessor for Maine Medical Center). While in training, she met Robert S. Blake (Bob), the love of her life, and they eloped on Nov. 15, 1947. The newspaper promised not to publish their marriage announcement, but there was an error and the announcement was published in the Portland newspaper. The House Mother at the School of Nursing read about the marriage and enforced the rules that required Dot to leave nurses' training, as students at that time were not permitted to be married and in training.
While she and Bob started their family, she worked at Hay's Drugstore for a short time in their pharmacy department and also as a waitress at a local restaurant on Commercial Street in Portland. After having five children within a six year time frame, she needed to find a full-time time job, so in 1957, she started working at Hannaford Bros. Co. (HBC). While at HBC, she became the second woman to achieve salaried status and enjoyed a very successful career, retiring in 1987. After 30 years of service, the company presented her with a t-shirt that read "I made it," 30 long-stemmed roses and a knitting machine.
She also had many accomplishments outside of her home and HBC as well. For several years, Dot was president of the Board of Directors for the Hannaford Employees Federal Credit Union. In addition, she and Bob were the driving force behind REACH, the Hannaford Bros. Co. Retiree Volunteer group and Dot held the title of president for several years. On behalf of the group, she accepted an award from the National Retirees' Volunteer Council in 1991. The Falmouth Lions Club presented their 1992 Citizen of the Year Award to Bob and Dot for their extensive volunteer work in the region. Dot was also asked to speak at a conference sponsored by former Senator William Cohen, on Senior Volunteerism. At the conference, a photo was taken with herself, former Senator William Cohen, and former first lady Barbara Bush, which she displayed with great pride.
Her family meant the world to her and they certainly kept her busy throughout her lifetime. As a very resourceful wife and mother, she became an extremely creative seamstress and knitter and was always making something for someone: wedding gowns, prom dresses, Halloween costumes, Christmas stockings, baby sweaters, quilts, and so much more. She was very talented and how she managed it all, we'll never know.
Dot moved to Piper Shores in 2007, where she enjoyed living in a beautiful facility with a caring and compassionate staff. When her health deteriorated in 2013, Dot moved to Assisted Living (AL) at Piper Shores and spent the last two years being spoiled and pampered by the loving staff. She often said that she felt like she gained a mother because they took such good care of her. We are extremely grateful to Piper Shores and particularly the staff in AL.
Dot was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Bob Blake; her granddaughter, Heather Jo Blake; her brothers, Alton Drinkwater and Richard Lunt, and her sister, Alice Mank. She is survived by her five children, Linda D. and her husband Al Carville of Cape Elizabeth, Robert W. of Otisfield, Ronald E. and his wife Lisa of Turner, Thomas E. and his wife Dee Dee of South Portland, and Judith A. and her husband Tom Mosier of Tolland, Conn.; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Shirley Bodman, Joyce Nemeth, Jean Curtis, and one brother Royce Lunt.
At Dot's request, there will not be a funeral, but there will be a gathering and celebration of her life at Piper Shores Assisted Living (Holbrook Building) on Friday, Feb. 20, from 3-4:30 p.m. Friends and family are welcome. Arrangements entrusted to Hobbs Funeral Home, South Portland. Condolences may be expressed online at
www.hobbsfuneralhome.com
The family asks that
in lieu of flowers,
donations be made to the
Falmouth Land Trust
or the
Piper Shores Memorial Fund.
Please mail to
Dorothy Blake
P.O. Box 6210
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
04107-0010
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Published in Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram from Feb. 15 to Feb. 16, 2015
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