A long-time resident first of Westchester and then Rockland, Dodie was a prolific and accomplished artist.
A graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and Columbia University Teachers College where she earned a Master’s in Education, she used her love of art as a teacher in the Irvington, NY, and White Plains Public Schools.
After retiring, she spent the next 30 years giving private art lessons to children and later to adults. In Montebello, she completed her career teaching painting classes for older adults that culminated in an annual exhibit of their work at Village Hall. She gave her last art class less than two years ago.
Dodie was born August 24, 1921, in New York City to Henry and Rowena (Schiele) Pfaff. She grew up in the Bronx and moved to Westchester when she married Edmund Seegmuller who died several years later. She later enjoyed a 59-year marriage to Edward F. Bracken of Yonkers. The couple built a house and lived in Eastchester for many years. During that time Dodie was elected and served as a councilwoman on the Town Board.
While in Eastchester, the couple’s two daughters, Elizabeth and Kathryn, were born and raised. In 1970, the family moved to Rockland. In Suffern (now Montebello) they built the home she lived in for the next 45 years. Edward died in 2009.
Dodie was very active in her community. She and her husband were leaders in founding the Village of Montebello. They were founders of the Montebello Seniors Club, and she was an active member and past–president of the Suffern Women’s Club and a long-time member of the Suffern Garden and Book Clubs. She was chairperson of the Montebello Historic Society.
A natural leader with an outgoing nature, Dodie enjoyed mentoring young aspiring artists. In addition to art, she enjoyed traveling with her family, hosting and going to parties -- and good conversation. She had a distinctive eye for fashion.
Dodie is survived by her loving daughters, Elizabeth (Geoffrey) Bracken –Thompson of Croton-on-Hudson, NY, and Kathryn (Andrew) Cupak of Montebello; her beloved sister, Connie Cerullo and her husband John of Suffern; two grandsons, Daniel Sabo (Esther Barlow) of Los Angeles and Timothy Sabo of Santa Monica, CA; two great grandchildren Cordelia and Phoebe; and two nephews, Peter Benvenuto of Oakland, NJ, and Paul Benvenuto (Mimi) of Hillburn, NY, and their families.
Dodie’s family wishes to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to Andrea, who faithfully cared for Dodie as her mobility declined, and to the doctors, nurses and staff of Villa Marie Claire, who cared for her in final days.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a contribution be made to Arts Westchester or the Hudson River Museum.
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