Dorothy “Dottie” Petorelli Dilorio, of Mooresville, N.C., died on Monday, February 26, 2024, in the comfort of hospice care at the age of 91.
She was predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Peter DiIorio; her parents Louis and Lucy Petorelli; her sister, Eleanor Ellis; and her brother, Rudy Petorelli.
She leaves behind her son, Joseph DelSanto, and wife Carol; daughter, Debbie Perdomo, and husband Wil; son, Ron DiIorio and wife Karla; grandchildren, Shaun Gehring and wife Stephanie, Jonathan DelSanto and wife Jill, Laura Capunay and husband Pedro, Stefanie DiIorio and Stan Jibitsky, Sabrina DiIorio, and Ryan DiIorio; great-grandchildren, Savannah and Aria Gehring, and Shai Jibitsky; nephew Peter Ellis; and nieces Sandy Geroux and Diane Ball.
Dottie was born in Paterson, N.J., and soon thereafter her family moved to Providence, R.I., where she spent the next 75 years. Dottie graduated from Central High School, where she was a majorette and sang in the glee club. Her yearbook said she “majored in personality.” Dottie loved to sing, and she and her brother, an accordion player, performed in talent shows and other venues in town.
Dottie loved her family and loved people. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were always a priority in her life. Her hospitality and cooking were enjoyed and appreciated by all. Her home was always open to everyone with plenty of excellent food.
Above all, Dottie loved her God, Jehovah. While in high school, she came in contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses, but it wasn’t until about 20 years later that she began a serious study of the Bible, which led her to dedicate her life to Jehovah. She was baptized on November 28, 1970. Her love for God and for people led her to devote much time to the ministry. Over the years, she has helped numerous people to learn about Jehovah. She took every opportunity to talk to everyone she met about the Bible’s hope for the future. Even while housebound, she shared her hope through letters to people in the community and spoke with all her healthcare workers about the beautiful promises for the future.
Dottie will always be remembered by her family and friends for her big heart as well as her generous, patient, and forgiving nature. She had a gift for making people feel special. All of us will miss her quick wit and especially her big warm hugs.
We want to thank all of you who took the time to come and sit with her to listen to our meetings. She loved those times very much, and they always lifted her spirits. She loved the many cards, flowers, and candy she received. We also want to thank the doctors and nurses who over the years gave her the best care. Thanks to Via Palliative and Hospice care. Our special thanks to Ashley and Anna for their exceptional care over the last six months. They were a bright spot in her life each week due to their compassion, kindness, and readiness to help. They will always be remembered with fondness. And above all, we thank Jehovah our God for the beautiful hope of the future paradise on earth.
A Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 125 Olympia Drive, Mooresville, NC 28117. Zoom Information-Meeting ID: 882 2361 9820 Passcode: 979436
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the family of Mrs. DiIorio. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.