Dorothy Petrek Mannarino of Warwick passed away after a long struggle with memory and other medical illnesses and a brief bout with COVID-19 on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, at Sapphire Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Goshen. She was 86 years old.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, on Dec. 23, 1934, she was the daughter of Joseph and Ann Petrek. She was one of seven children.
Dorothy began her lifelong career in nursing after graduating from Hunter-Bellevue Nursing School in New York City in 1958. She continued her education in the mid-1970’s at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY, where she received her B.S. in Nursing.
Finally, in the late 1970’s, she received a M.S. in Nursing from N.Y.U. in New York City.
At the height of her career in nursing, she became the Director of Nursing at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn. She also spent many years as Director of the Visiting Nurse Association of New York in Brooklyn.
Dorothy spent the latter years of her Nursing career at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, where she commuted weekly from her home in Warwick until the age of 76.
Dorothy was proud, dedicated, skilled and passionate about her career in nursing.
She is survived by her daughter Deborah Careccia and her husband Michael, her granddaughters Kristen Hall, her husband Jeffrey and great-granddaughter Penelope, Nicole Penner, her husband Michael and great-granddaughter McKenna, and grandson Sam Careccia.
She is also survived by her sister Judy Kime and family in Ohio, her sister Margaret Achan in Warwick and her sister-in-law Janice Petrek and family in California.
Dorothy enjoyed spending her free time with her daughter Deborah and grandchildren, but most especially her grandson Sam Careccia, who was her care-giver for the last five years of her active community life, prior to moving into Braemar Assisted Living.
Dorothy loved traveling and visited many states, cities and other countries throughout her lifetime.
She loved dancing and music. She also enjoyed playing tennis and reading.
A large part of her post-nursing career was being a devoted member of the Warwick Assembly of God Church. She loved being a part of the Warwick Red Hats Society and the Warwick Senior Center activities.
Dorothy loved socializing and helping out in the Warwick Valley community.
A funeral service will be on Friday, Jan. 29, at 10 a.m., at Warwick Assembly of God Church, 60 South St., Warwick, followed by interment in Warwick Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org/donate.
Arrangements were entrusted to Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home. To send an online condolence, visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.