Obituary: Dorothy Marvin Miles, 81, Of Brookfield

Information Courtesy Cornell Memorial Home

BROOKFIELD, CT — Dorothy Marvin Miles, age 81, of Brookfield, passed away Feb. 5.

Dottie was born July 24, 1940, on Staten Island, NY. She was the daughter of the late Theodore Winthrop Marvin and Marie Hussey Marvin. She graduated from Curtis High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wells College in 1962, and a Master of Science from Southern Connecticut State University in 1990.

Dottie met her husband Ward during college and they were married shortly after graduation in 1962. They moved Air Force base to Air Force base while starting their family before settling in Brookfield in 1973.

Dottie is survived by her daughter Jennifer and her husband Christian, their daughters Sarah, Hannah and Abby, her son David and his wife Jennifer, along with several nieces and nephews. Dottie was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, L. Wardlaw Miles, and her brother, David Winthrop Marvin.

Dottie loved teaching. From the young age of just 6, while other children had tea parties, her favorite game was teacher. Her passion carried on throughout her career. Her classroom was always a place of learning, love and understanding.

Dottie believed ferociously that learning to read provided a foundation to a good life and a bright future. For those who shared her love of learning, Dottie was a great resource and sounding board. For those who didn’t love school, she was a difference maker - providing encouragement and support coupled with a caring push that helped so many students to learn to read, write, and to succeed in life.

Dottie taught for 25 years in Connecticut before retiring in 2000. She was proud to have been Brookfield's Teacher of the Year in 1987 and for being a finalist in the Connecticut Teacher of the Year program.

Always an advocate for education, Dottie served on the Brookfield Board of Education 2001 – 2005, was a Founding Member and Secretary of the Brookfield Education Foundation 2003 - 2005, and the Founder and Coordinator of the Hand in Hand volunteer literacy tutoring program at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School 2007-2013.

When she wasn’t teaching and after retirement, she was an active member of the Brookfield community serving on the Charter Revision Commission, Brookfield Commission on Aging, and Brookfield Library Foundation. She kept in close contact with her friends and neighbors whether it was at their regular gathering for dinner on Tuesday nights or traveling around town playing duplicate bridge.

A celebration of Dottie's life will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brookfield on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Brookfield Education Foundation or to the Alzheimer’s Association.