SANFORD — Dorothy (Cleaves) “Dotty” Austin, 88, of Sanford and formerly of North Berwick, passed away at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough on Sept. 7, 2014.
She was born Jan. 2, 1926 in Sanford, to Charles E. and Doris (Mayo) Cleaves.
Dotty was a graduate of Sanford High School and received a bachelor’s degree from Nasson College in 1948.
She married Frank C. Austin in June 1948, and they made their home at the family farm in Dover, New Hampshire, until 1964, when they moved to North Berwick.
For many years, she was a homemaker, returning to work when her children were older. Dotty was employed in several secretarial positions, and was head of secretarial services at Nasson College in the early 1980s. Dotty wrote the North Berwick News Briefs and was a columnist for the York County Coast Star from 1984-87. For many years, she and her husband spent winters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Dotty was a member of the First Baptist Church of Springvale.
Dotty was a woman ahead of her time, made friends wherever she went, is deeply loved and will be truly missed by many.
Dotty was preceded in death by: her husband in 2009; and her sister, Neona Swanson.
She is survived by: five children, Linda D. Ridlon and her husband Wesley Jr. of North Berwick, Albert C. Austin of Dania, Florida, Frank C. Austin Jr. and his wife Annette of Springvale, Bonnie A. Best and her husband Lynn of North Berwick, and David A. Austin of Norway.
Also surviving are: eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 at the Johnson Funeral Home, 26 Market St., North Berwick. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. Interment will be in the Evergreen Cemetery, Berwick. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route 1, No. 1, Scarborough, ME 04074; First Baptist Church of Springvale Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 277, 429 Main St., Springvale, ME 04083; or the activities fund at Mayflower Place Assisted Living, 27 Mayflower Place, Sanford, ME 04073. Condolences may be expressed at www.johnsonfuneralhomeme.com.
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