Dorothy Anne Deitelbaum

Dorothy Ann Deitelbaum, 89, of Naugatuck, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2026, at Masonicare in Wallingford, surrounded by the love of a family she had spent her life building and nurturing.

Born in 1936 and raised in Harrison, New York, Dorothy "Dot" grew up immersed in the warmth of extended family and the close-knit community that would shape her values for a lifetime. She attended Harrison High School before going on to Good Counsel College in White Plains — a Catholic women's liberal arts college run by the Sisters of the Divine Compassion — where her faith and sense of purpose continued to deepen.

In her early professional years, Dorothy worked on Madison Avenue, as a secretary at the renowned advertising firm BBDO. When she and her husband John "Jack" settled in Naugatuck in 1975, Dorothy embraced her new community wholeheartedly, working at Laticrete, Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, and building a successful career as a Tupperware sales representative, and earned her first brand new car. But the work that gave her the greatest sense of purpose — the vocation she returned to every single day — was that of mother, homemaker, and devoted caregiver to her six children, and later, to her 19 grandchildren.

Dorothy's faith was not a private thing. It was the organizing principle of her life. A devout Catholic, she attended daily Mass and gave herself generously to St. Vincent's Parish in Naugatuck, where she was a beloved member of the Ladies' Guild for forty years, including a term as its president and, along with her husband, a winner of the St. Joseph Medal given by the Archdiocese of Hartford. She believed deeply in the sanctity of life, in Christian service, in forgiveness, and in the simple miracle of being alive — values she modeled quietly and consistently, every day.

Her joys were as simple as they were profound: tending her garden, cooking and baking for her family and guests, working through a crossword, losing herself in a good book. But nothing meant more to her than family. She treasured the annual trips to Rhode Island, where her Connecticut and New York family from Harrison enjoyed time on the beach, and the adventures she shared with Jack on his business travels, with her two favorites being Hawaii and San Antonio, and with family to Ireland and Jackson Hole. But she was happiest when the people she loved were gathered together under one roof.

Dorothy is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, John "Jack" Deitelbaum; her children John Deitelbaum of Ellington and his wife Liz, Robert Deitelbaum of South Windsor, Patricia Deitelbaum of Prospect, Michael Deitelbaum of Naugatuck and his wife Tiffany, Mark Deitelbaum of Milford and his wife Circe, and Tom Deitelbaum of Naugatuck and his wife Catherine; her nineteen grandchildren, Thomas Bethin and his wife Alexis, Charles, Jake, and Bekka Bethin, Avery Deitelbaum, Tyler Deitelbaum and his fiancée Kaylea Misiewicz, Hailey, Michael, Ryan, Julia, Keira and Taya Deitelbaum, Alexandria Morales, Trey, Ava, Tatum, Luke, John, and Sophie Deitelbaum; and her great-grandchild, Bradley Bethin, son of Thomas and Alexis. She is also survived by her siblings, John Voetsch and his wife, Jeanette, of Harrison, and Anne Rudy and her husband, Jeff, of Harrison; her brother-in-law, George Perry; and her beloved nieces and nephews, whose lives and milestones were a cherished topic whenever she connected with her siblings. She was deeply grateful to the neighbors and friends who enriched her years in Naugatuck, particularly Jim and Denise, who checked in on Dorothy daily before her move to Masonicare, and to the compassionate care she received at Masonicare in her final chapter.

She was predeceased by her parents, George and Anna Voetsch of Harrison, New York; her brother George Voetsch of Harrison; and her sister Ellen Perry of Harrison.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, April 10, 2026, at 10:00 am at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 1006 New Haven Road, Naugatuck. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Calling hours are Thursday, April 9, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:30 pm at the Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck. In lieu of flowers and to honor Dorothy’s memory, memorial contributions may be made to The Masonic Charity Foundation of CT, P.O. Box 70, Wallingford, CT 06492.