A quiet, 93-year old member of what Tom Brokaw called "America's Greatest Generation," Dorothy E. Ryel died as she had lived on Wednesday (August 19, 2009) at the Lake Shore Health Care Center in Irving. She was born in Rochester, NY, the daughter of Harry (who emigrated from England) and Elizabeth Keenan Duckitt on March 2, 1916.
Mrs. Ryel attended schools in Rochester during the Great Depression when " A penny saved is a penny earned" and "Waste not, want not" was the order of the day. She became an accomplished seamstress, sewing her own wardrobe and later creating years of back-to-school clothing for her children and countless Christmas mittens for her family. In her spare time, it has been estimated that her lifetime production of chocolate chip cookies baked for family and friends hovers near 250,000. After high school, Mrs. Ryel trained at a business institute to operate a comptometer (a precursor of the computer) and was hired by Kraft Foods to work in accounting and traffic management. In her off hours, she pursued her passion for music by playing her piano and attending concerts at the Eastman School of Music. Above all though, she loved to tell of dancing to the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller, The Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman and Count Basie as they played around the country. It was during this time that she married and began her own family.
She moved to Fredonia in 1951 and with her family joined the First United Methodist Church where she was active for 58 years in various capacities including Hope Circle. Other memberships included the Friendly 36; Wimodausis; and the Fredonia Garden Club, where she was known for the roses from her garden and her African violets. In the 1980s, Mrs. Ryel retired from Sidey's Store after years in sales and as a buyer of children's apparel. Survivors include two sons, David G. Ryel and Daniel R. Ryel, both of Fredonia; three daughters, Deborah E. Ryel of Beulah, MI, Drucilla A. Pasierb of Dunkirk and Diana M. Ryel of Sutton, Ontario, Cana-da; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Darlene Gruttadaro of Pittsford, NY. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, David D. Ryel, who died in 2003; a brother, Donald H.Duckett; and an infant daughter, Delia M. Ryel.
Mrs. Ryel attended schools in Rochester during the Great Depression when " A penny saved is a penny earned" and "Waste not, want not" was the order of the day. She became an accomplished seamstress, sewing her own wardrobe and later creating years of back-to-school clothing for her children and countless Christmas mittens for her family. In her spare time, it has been estimated that her lifetime production of chocolate chip cookies baked for family and friends hovers near 250,000. After high school, Mrs. Ryel trained at a business institute to operate a comptometer (a precursor of the computer) and was hired by Kraft Foods to work in accounting and traffic management. In her off hours, she pursued her passion for music by playing her piano and attending concerts at the Eastman School of Music. Above all though, she loved to tell of dancing to the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller, The Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman and Count Basie as they played around the country. It was during this time that she married and began her own family.
She moved to Fredonia in 1951 and with her family joined the First United Methodist Church where she was active for 58 years in various capacities including Hope Circle. Other memberships included the Friendly 36; Wimodausis; and the Fredonia Garden Club, where she was known for the roses from her garden and her African violets. In the 1980s, Mrs. Ryel retired from Sidey's Store after years in sales and as a buyer of children's apparel. Survivors include two sons, David G. Ryel and Daniel R. Ryel, both of Fredonia; three daughters, Deborah E. Ryel of Beulah, MI, Drucilla A. Pasierb of Dunkirk and Diana M. Ryel of Sutton, Ontario, Cana-da; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Darlene Gruttadaro of Pittsford, NY. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, David D. Ryel, who died in 2003; a brother, Donald H.Duckett; and an infant daughter, Delia M. Ryel.
A quiet, 93-year old member of what Tom Brokaw called "America's Greatest Generation," Dorothy E. Ryel died as she had lived on Wednesday (August 19, 2009) at the Lake Shore Health Care Center in Irving. She was born in Rochester, NY, the daughter of Harry (who emigrated from England) and Elizabeth Keenan Duckitt on March 2, 1916.
Mrs. Ryel attended schools in Rochester during the Great Depression when " A penny saved is a penny earned" and "Waste not, want not" was the order of the day. She became an accomplished seamstress, sewing her own wardrobe and later creating years of back-to-school clothing for her children and countless Christmas mittens for her family. In her spare time, it has been estimated that her lifetime production of chocolate chip cookies baked for family and friends hovers near 250,000. After high school, Mrs. Ryel trained at a business institute to operate a comptometer (a precursor of the computer) and was hired by Kraft Foods to work in accounting and traffic management. In her off hours, she pursued her passion for music by playing her piano and attending concerts at the Eastman School of Music. Above all though, she loved to tell of dancing to the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller, The Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman and Count Basie as they played around the country. It was during this time that she married and began her own family.
She moved to Fredonia in 1951 and with her family joined the First United Methodist Church where she was active for 58 years in various capacities including Hope Circle. Other memberships included the Friendly 36; Wimodausis; and the Fredonia Garden Club, where she was known for the roses from her garden and her African violets. In the 1980s, Mrs. Ryel retired from Sidey's Store after years in sales and as a buyer of children's apparel. Survivors include two sons, David G. Ryel and Daniel R. Ryel, both of Fredonia; three daughters, Deborah E. Ryel of Beulah, MI, Drucilla A. Pasierb of Dunkirk and Diana M. Ryel of Sutton, Ontario, Cana-da; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Darlene Gruttadaro of Pittsford, NY. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, David D. Ryel, who died in 2003; a brother, Donald H.Duckett; and an infant daughter, Delia M. Ryel.
Mrs. Ryel attended schools in Rochester during the Great Depression when " A penny saved is a penny earned" and "Waste not, want not" was the order of the day. She became an accomplished seamstress, sewing her own wardrobe and later creating years of back-to-school clothing for her children and countless Christmas mittens for her family. In her spare time, it has been estimated that her lifetime production of chocolate chip cookies baked for family and friends hovers near 250,000. After high school, Mrs. Ryel trained at a business institute to operate a comptometer (a precursor of the computer) and was hired by Kraft Foods to work in accounting and traffic management. In her off hours, she pursued her passion for music by playing her piano and attending concerts at the Eastman School of Music. Above all though, she loved to tell of dancing to the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller, The Dorsey Brothers, Benny Goodman and Count Basie as they played around the country. It was during this time that she married and began her own family.
She moved to Fredonia in 1951 and with her family joined the First United Methodist Church where she was active for 58 years in various capacities including Hope Circle. Other memberships included the Friendly 36; Wimodausis; and the Fredonia Garden Club, where she was known for the roses from her garden and her African violets. In the 1980s, Mrs. Ryel retired from Sidey's Store after years in sales and as a buyer of children's apparel. Survivors include two sons, David G. Ryel and Daniel R. Ryel, both of Fredonia; three daughters, Deborah E. Ryel of Beulah, MI, Drucilla A. Pasierb of Dunkirk and Diana M. Ryel of Sutton, Ontario, Cana-da; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Darlene Gruttadaro of Pittsford, NY. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, David D. Ryel, who died in 2003; a brother, Donald H.Duckett; and an infant daughter, Delia M. Ryel.
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