Dororthy Merrick Hart, 78, of Branford CT, passed away related to cardiovascular disease suddenly in her home on January 20th, 2023.
Dorothy “Dottie” was born on February 20, 1944 to the late Dororthy and Alexander Hart of North Branford, Connecticut. As a single parent she put herself through Nursing School after graduating from Saint Mary’s High School. She began her 26-year Nursing career at Yale New Haven Hospital focusing on caring for OB/GYN Oncology patients. Her strength and ability to guide a loving family of two children, Deborah Jane (Bickford) Hall and Dennis Wayne Bickford was revealed through the selfless love and guidance she provided to them over the years. Dottie was famous for her love of adventure, the beach, horses, and country music/dancing. As an amazing dancer she could keep up with the best of them as a sweet and sassy two stepper on any dance floor! She quite often spoke of her first love “Penny”, her horse as a young child, and that horse remained at the center of her universe even in memory throughout her later years.
Her greatest joys in later years were her grandchildren: Ashley Lynn Remmey of Cottondale AL, Lindsey Merrick (Hall) Mantegani of Nashville TN Jacqueline Marie (Hall) Otten of Nashville, TN, and Matthew Thomas Hall of Hollywood, Los Angeles. She just recently was enamored with her new great grandchildren, Stevie Joy Mantgani, and “baby” Otten due in early fall of 2023.
Two siblings, Thomas Hart and Margaret Hart also survive Dottie.
A celebration of life will be held in the spring at St. Agnes cemetery at the same location as her parents site. Donations in “Dottie’s memory can be made to American Heart Association at https://www.heart.org/?form=FUNELYZXFBW. Please visit https://www.abbeycremation.com/ to leave the family an online condolence.
Deb, I remember going to your house many times and meeting your mom. I always thought to myself, what a hard worker she is. That shows the love 🙏🏻she had for her kids. May she RIP 🙏🏻🙏🏻