Dorothy M. Sullivan

Dorothy Raynor was born October 22, 1921 in Brooklyn, NY. Ancestry,com research revealed that she was a descendant of one of the original  English families settling Long Island beginning in 1600’s and populating an area in Nassau County that was originally known as Raynor Town (now Hempstead - Freeport) as well as descendant of early settlers from England and Ireland settling in Newfoundland in the same era.Dorothy married George S. Raniolo on July 18, 1941 in Brooklyn NY and they started their family in Bay Ridge Brooklyn before the end of World War II and when George was still on active duty.They moved to North Bellmore in 1958 and raised four children: George, William, Robert and Dorothy.

Following the death of her husband George on June 28, 1979, she began working full time as a Medical Assistant for her son, Dr. George Raniolo. She managed his practice for 15 years.

Dorothy eventually met Thomas H. Sullivan and they were married May 10, 1991. They lived in Mt. Sinai until his death on March 24, 1995.

Dorothy moved in with her daughter in 1997 at St. James, NY.

She was active in the care of her daughter’s children and was a dedicated member of several Bridge Groups near her home in St. James.

In January 2011 she moved to Hampton Bays where she shared the home of her daughter, Dorothy, and husband, James Rooney.

In her later years she became introspective and found comfort in the novels of James Patterson,  James Michener and Jean M. Auel.

Despite her age, she remained in good health until January of this year when she was cared for by the Palliative Program at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital with an acute illness.

She returned to her home under the care of her Palliative Physician and friend, Dr. Allison Van Arsdale.  Together with the team of caring professionals at East End Hospice she was comfortable to the day of her death among family on February 16, 2018.

She is survived by son William and his wife Marie, son Robert,  daughter Dorothy and her husband James Rooney and many grandchildren, great grandchildren and even a few great, great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Stony Brook/Southampton Hospital recognizing the dedication of the Palliative Care Team at 631-726-8700 or East End Hospice at www.eeh.org.

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