Roberta Arlene Dorr
August 24, 1936 – January 7, 2016
CANTERBURY (CT)– Roberta Arlene (Griffiths) Dorr, 79, passed away at her home after struggling bravely for many years with a variety of health challenges. A woman of faith, she was remarkable for her determination and independence. She was born August 24, 1936 at Quadock Valley Farm in South Killingly, daughter of Nelson and Helen (Grinnell) Griffiths. She married the late Frederick James Dorr of Oneco, CT at the Line Baptist Church in Foster, RI July 14, 1956. He passed February 18, 2005. Over the years Roberta and Fred lived in homes in Bangor, ME; Mansfield, CT; Oneco, CT; Buena Vista, VA; Elkins, WV; Media, PA; Voluntown, CT and Canterbury, CT.
Roberta graduated from Killingly High School in 1954. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Eastern Connecticut State University. Roberta did her student teaching at Killingly Elementary School. She was an English teacher and had a special interest in the lives and literary works of Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Lucy Maude Montgomery as well as stories about King Arthur and Merlin. Roberta taught students in Buena Vista, VA; Voluntown, CT and Canterbury, CT. She retired from the Canterbury school system in 1995 after twenty years of service where she was also advisor to the National Junior Honor Society. Roberta was the volunteer organizational leader for two different 4-H clubs – The Healthy Hearts and The Canterbury Belles. She enjoyed participating in Griffiths family reunions; making goulash, Johnny cakes and friendship bread; sewing, crocheting, reading, completing crossword puzzles, gardening and tending to orchids in her sunroom. Roberta visited many second-hand bookstores and old book sales with her husband. She was particularly devoted to her three granddaughters and was present at all of their respective births. Roberta had a special affinity for hummingbirds.
Roberta is survived by her daughter Linda (Dorr) Wegner and her husband Robert of Central Bridge, NY and granddaughters Ceili (Hering) Snedker of Leicester, England; Emma Wegner of Central Bridge, NY; and Holly Guldenzopf of Towson, MD. She is also survived by siblings Nelson Griffiths of Gainesville, FL; Diana (Griffiths) Russell of Geneva, NY; and David Griffiths of South Killingly as well as Ember, her pet Schnauzer. She was predeceased by her daughter Brenda Arlene (Dorr) Guldenzopf of Havre de Grace, MD; brothers Leroy of Hillsborough, NH; Southward of South Killingly, CT and Kenneth of South Killingly, CT. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Calling hours will be held on Monday, January 11 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the Tillinghast Funeral Home, 433 Main St., Danielson, CT. A memorial service will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12 at the Church of the Nazarene, 440 Westcott Rd., Danielson, CT. Roberta requested that there be no flowers; in lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Church of the Nazarene.