Shrewsbury- Dorothy A. Bergstrom, 84, died peacefully Saturday June 27th at the Shrewsbury Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, surrounded by her family.
Born in Worcester, MA; August 9, 1924, Dorothy was the daughter of Augusta M. Carlson Erickson and George K. Mouzinas.
She graduated from North High School in 1942 and Salter Secretarial School as a Legal Secretary. She also worked at the Rationing Board during WWII, where she met another Dorothy, Dorothy Charametta Kuczka, making a friend for life.
She married her childhood sweetheart and friend, Kenneth E. Bergstrom on June 28, 1952, when they moved to Shrewsbury. Kenny passed away April 19, 1995.
She was a legal secretary for Cosmo Toscano until 1954. She was a very devoted mother and homemaker. Her primary focus in life was the welfare of her children and her family. She returned to the workforce in 1971 as a secretary at the Shrewsbury High School for Ralph Yagjian. What was to be a temporary position, lasted for 18 years. She retired in 1989, as secretary to Kenneth Largess. As was her style, she simply went home for Christmas vacation and didn’t return. Due to the rapport she had with the students, she was asked to consider being a bus monitor for the Special needs students on their trips back and forth to Assabet Valley Technical High School, which she did until she retired again in 1993.
She enjoyed music, especially the Big Band era. She and Kenny could often be found tearing up the rug in clubs in Worcester, Boston, and the Cape. She also enjoyed the theater; once appearing in The Prisoner of Second Avenue, with the Shrewsbury Players under the direction of her dear friend, the late Jack E. Feldheimer.
But if she had her way, she would be in Dennisport, on Cape Cod on the beach with her feet in the sand.
She leaves 2 sons, George K. of Shrewsbury and John F. Bergstrom and his wife Karen of Leicester. She leaves a granddaughter Jennifer L. Bergstrom of Worcester and 2 grandsons, Jonathan F. Bergstrom of Worcester, and Patrick M. Duguay of Leicester. She leaves 2 nephews, William Erickson of Connecticut and Stephen H. Johnson of Auburn. She leaves two nieces, Karin M. Miller of Caribou, ME, and Debra A. Bouchard of Newnan, GA. She also leaves a sister-in-law, Ruth W. Erickson of Shelton, CT, and a brother-in-law, Harold E. Johnson, Jr. of Auburn.
She was predeceased by a sister, Karin A. Harde of Caribou, ME in 1983, a sister-in-law Marilyn L. Johnson of Auburn in 1988, a brother, Nils C. Erickson of Fairfield, CT in 1989, and a niece, Norma Erickson of Bridgeport, CT in 2000.
The family would like to thank Drs. Joseph Diagneault and Doreen Brettler and their staffs for their care and concern of Dorothy, but most importantly the family needs to thank Diane Lambert, Penny Hunt and Mina Worrick, who because of their devotion to Dorothy enabled her to stay in the home that she loved.
Calling hours will be from 5-7 PM on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA. The funeral will be Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 11:00 AM at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, 34 Prospect St., Shrewsbury, MA. After cremation, burial will be private at Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton, MA. As was their wish, Dottie and Kenny are to be interred at the same time.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 34 Prospect St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545. For online directions or to leave an online message of condolence, please click on link below.