Dorothy E. Azzolino

Many are lucky and healthy enough to be 94. Dorothy Elizabeth Anne Terlep Azzolino chose to be 94 & Counting! That means Dorothy recognized and was thankful for the blessings in her life and worked to continue living that life.

Born on September 1, 1925, to John Terlep & Mary Theresa Terkel Popish, Dorothy Elizabeth Anne Terlep was the youngest of 9 children.She married Mike Azzolino in 1949 and remained his wife for 60 years until his death in 2009.

She was mother to Agnes Marie, Nicholas Joseph, Michael Anthony, Jr., Dorothy Elizabeth Azzolino Lydon, John Thomas, Anthony Charles, Philip Samuel, and Theresa Louise (11/22/60 to 11/27/81).She was grandmother to Mike Vinik, Julie Anne Azzolino Cody, Lizzie Azzolino, Katie Lydon, Johnny Azzolino, and Tiana Lydon and great grandmother to Karolina Cody, Nick Vinik, and Alanna Cody.

She was a founding officer of Group Tours, a BCREA member, and a GSA Green Circle Leader.

She and Mike, at various times, owned homes in Lodi, NJ; Lake Swannanoa, NJ; Township of Washington, NJ; and Fort Plain, NY. One they built from scratch, one they had built, and to the other two they made substantial modifications. Even at 90, Dorothy was negotiating fixing the roof on the farm, straightening the barn, and repairing the driveway. Many senior citizens find it too much to take care of one home. With the help of her sons, she cared for two.

But the above only speaks about part of who Dorothy was.

She loved: Nick's cooking and ALL NICK DID, corn beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day, a ham for Easter, making deviled eggs w/her eldest on a Saturday night, a sumptuous Chinese dinner or an Italian food feast with John and Nick, getting (and then displaying) cards from Julie, Phil, Eileen, or so many other people, playing the piano (think “Beer Barrel Polka”, the “Wood Pecker Song” - the clean one, “Good Night Irene”, “Adeste Fideles”).

She loved leaves on the trees, clouds in the sky, elephants, the color orange, sunflowers, wild turkeys and deer at the farm and in Washington Township. Most of all she loved the frequent phone calls from her family and friends. She was in regular contact with all her grandchildren.

Dorothy was always intimately involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren and always aware of the goings on in the lives of her great grandchildren. She treasured the visits and calls from family and friends.

“GG,” great grandma, spoke to her children at least once a day. Phil phoned and sent postcards from his tours -- like the one after he traveled to Omaha Beach and visited GG's brother's grave. John called her from all over the world. Tony called each night before she'd fall asleep, but also before he saw his last patients. Kip called at random times but a least once or twice a day, depending on what he was doing with his grand children. Nick, always there & wonderful, usually answered the phone. Agnes would call, once from school, once or twice or more times once she got home. Agnes had an exceptional talent for reaching her when she was "not in her chair" so she'd call later, some times just to say that Ancient Aliens was on channel 47. Dottie phoned every day after school and GG loved every call.

She had a tug boat named after her, the DOROTHY ELIZABETH. What? Why? Yes, years ago, Mike Vinik, her oldest grand son, honored her for all she had done for him in his life.

She raised her 8 children with experiences like: running up and down the Statue of Liberty; collecting stones for building patio walls; driving to the Great Falls in Paterson and Garret Mountain in her blue station wagon; taking Aunt Mary for a boat ride in the row boat “Agnes;” playing cards using Kit-Kat bars as chips; taking trips with Kip to the St. Anthony Shrine in Paterson, or to the cemetery to visit her sister Mary, her daughter Teri Lou, her husband Mike, her mother and father-in-law, Agnes & Nick Azzolino, and her brother and sister-in-law, Tony and Cis.

She told her children stories like: waiting on opposite NYC street corners until both she and her future husband decided to cross to the other side of the street to see if perchance their future spouse was waiting on the other side. Yes, they met in the middle of the street.

She was a brilliant mother and teacher. She taught by example how to be a caring and contributing member of society and sometimes she handled situations a bit differently. Given there were eight children in a house, accidents sometimes happened. If the milk spills, the children in other households get a scolding by their mother because each child blames the other. Not in Dorothy’s house. “Patrick the Ghost did it,” and no one was to be blamed or demeaned, and the milk was quickly cleaned up.

With great help from Nick, and Kip, and Dottle, and John, she survived hospital and extensive care facilities and died at home, as she wished.

Due to the world virus health issues there will not be a viewing. The Mass and funeral services will be private. Please, do not send flowers or make a donation. Instead, please take a moment and through your silent thought or prayer, help honor Dorothy Azzolino’s life. A celebration-of-life party will be held at a future date.

On-line respects can be delivered at the website of Becker Funeral Home at Becker-funeralhome.com. and family photos can be viewed at http://www.mathnstuff.com/ DorothyTerlepAzzolino within a few days. Dorothy Elizabeth Anne Terlep Azzolino was 94 & Counting!

She is loved and mourned by those who know her well. She was a great daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend and matriarch. Please join the family in honoring her.