1924 – 2015
TYNGSBOROUGH, Mass. — Dorothy May (Dyas) Yorke passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Tuesday, April 7, at her daughter’s home in Tyngsborough, Mass.
She was born on July 11, 1924, to Irene (Ireland) Dyas and Donald Vernon Dyas in Bergenfield, N.J. As a child and young adult, Dorothy lived in New Jersey, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada and Brookline, Mass.
She married Ralph Burton Yorke in 1941, who predeceased her in 1995. She was the loving mother of five adoring children, Joan, Ronald, Judith (deceased in 1955), Thomas and James; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The majority of Dorothy’s adult life was spent in Lewiston. She was a very active member of the United Baptist Church of Lewiston and the church’s Women’s Society. She was an avid walker and could be spotted almost anywhere in Lewiston, while on one of her many treks.
After her children were grown, she embarked on a career as a merchandise buyer at Peck’s Department Store. When Peck’s closed, she worked at Sears and Roebuck in Lewiston as a new employee trainer. Upon retirement, she and Ralph divided their time between Zephyrhills, Fla., Lewiston, and Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. In retirement, she perfected her golf game and loved being out on the course.
Upon the death of Ralph, Dorothy moved to Portland to be closer to her youngest son, Jim. While in Portland, she became an active member of the Portland Recreation Senior Adult Program and quickly made many new friends. In 2012, Dorothy moved to Tyngsborough, Mass., to live with and be cared for by her daughter, Joan (Yorke) Andrusaitis.
Dorothy will be remembered as a kind, gentle, loving and compassionate daughter, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandparent and friend to everyone whom she came in contact with. She will be forever loved, missed and always remembered.
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