Obituary: Dorothy Jean Kelly Hurgin

Dorothy Jean Kelly Hurgin, died Friday morning, December 23, 2011. She was the widow of Leonard A. Hurgin, Sr., who passed away this past February.

Dorothy (Dot) was the second oldest child born on March 4, 1928 to Leo P. and Bridget O’Connor Kelly. She was a graduate of St. Peter’s School and Danbury High School, 1945. Dot and Link were married April 7, 1951 and devoted their lives to their four children and the community of Bethel, both of which they loved so dearly. Dorothy was a devoted member of St. Mary Church. Who could ever forget all the Christmas Bazaars at St. Mary School and all the baking that was done in the school kitchen as well as her years of service to the Council of Catholic Women. After all her children were in grade school, she worked for the Department of Motor Vehicles for several years. Upon her retirement, she volunteered her time at the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen; R.S.V.P. Program; Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians; the annual Irish Festival; and her and Link’s commitment as administrators to St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Dorothy’s family will miss her dearly. Dorothy is survived by her sons Leonard Jr. (Catherine) of Bethel; Kevin (Davienette) of Spring Valley, California and granddaughter Jenna and grandson Wesley; Jeanne Hurgin of Danbury; and Elizabeth (Edmund) Winslow of Brunswick, Georgia and grandson Nicholas. She also leaves behind her sisters-in-law, Betty Hurgin and Betty Jo Hurgin; her brother-in-law Frank Kovacs and sister-in-law Dawn Kelly; as well as several nieces and nephews. Dorothy was predeceased by her brothers: Leo, Ray, Jack, and Bobby, and sisters Rita Keenan and Mary Kovacs.

Mom, you fought a long and difficult battle. You taught us how to be brave and courageous and what unconditional love is. A special thank you to all our friends at Glen Hill…we couldn’t have made this journey without you.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Msgr. Karl Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Mary Church, 26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT 06801 or to the Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

The funeral will be conducted from the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel, Wednesday, December 28 at 9:30 am, to a Mass of Christian burial celebrated at St. Mary's Church, Bethel at 10 am. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Bethel.

The family will receive friends at the Bethel Funeral Home, Tuesday, December 27 from 4 pm to 7 pm.