Dorothy “Dottie” Retan Irish traveled with her family during World War II because her father was a doctor for the U.S. Army. She recalled having some odd schooling during those years, in which every year her class read Silas Marner. She spent the years after the war in Syracuse, attending Nottingham High School before entering Brown University. She worked in several places before settling in at the Regional Learning Service (RLS) Career Center where she was the Business Manager for 15 years. Her final and most satisfying job was as Business Manager of the Community Foundation until her retirement in 2004.
Dottie thrived on community service. Over the years she participated in United Way Planning and Allocations; served as Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Treasurer; YWCA Board of Trustees; YWCA Board of Directors as Finance Chairman and Treasurer; Treasurer of Child and Family Service; Treasurer of Junior League of Syracuse. Dottie loved opera, symphony, and theater. In her younger years, she loved skiing and sailing. She also enjoyed bridge, water aerobics, volunteering and serving on boards of directors. Her summers were spent at Hatch Lake in West Eaton. At the end she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and died two weeks later. She wished to be remembered with a summertime “celebration of life party” at her beloved cottage. This fund supports the broad and changing needs of the community in Dottie’s honor.
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