Dorothy Ann (Robus) Prendergast

Dorothy Ann (Robus) Prendergast, 90 years old, born September 25, 1931, in Concord, MA. Passed away on March 15, 2022. She succumbed after many years fighting cancer (CLL) and heart issues. Daughter of the late William A. and Virginia (Swift) Robus. Former wife and in later years Life Partner to Thomas Prendergast. Sister of Elizabeth Welt (Marvin) of Centennial, CO. Aunt to David Welt (Sarah) and Jennifer Nystrom (Jeffrey) both of Aurora, CO.

Dorothy was a "Towney" from West Concord, MA, who spent most of her life living or working there. As a child she loved the outdoors, loved to go fishing with her dad at the Concord Rod and Gun Club, going to town summer playground and going to town swimming lessons at Walden Pond. She was active in Girl Scouts, later was a Mariner Scout, and was member of the Concord chapter of Rainbow Girls.

Dot believed strongly in giving back to the community and chose to spend her working career as a primary grade teacher in West Concord. We can estimate that she gave the learning foundation to close 1,000 young minds. While in high school she knew that she would attend college and worked at the Middlesex Insurance Company in Concord to earn college money. Each school day you would see walking with her green schoolbook bag over her shoulder from the high school to her job. Knowing the money reality of those times she knew this was a necessity. She chose this over sports and other after school activities. She graduated from Fitchburg Teacher's College, now UMass Fitchburg. She felt this calling from a young age and worked as a playground instructor and a town swimming class instructor. While attending college she ran the town Red Cross swimming program at Lake Walden and continued to work at the insurance company.

Dorothy grew to love travel. This may have started when she was a high school senior and participated in a school sponsored exchange trip for some selected Concord High students and a similar group from Hyattsville, Maryland. Later when she was working she went on tour to Europe and met a group of other travelers, mostly from New York and New Jersey. They grew into a close friendship and the same group made many trips together to Europe, Asia and within North America. In addition, she and her husband Tom found their tropical paradise in Barbados in the Caribbean and started vacationing there annually, starting in 1972, and that carried on for 50 years. They made many friends there that have varied through to the present day. Most of these are Canadian, Brits and Barbadians (Bajans).

Locally Dorothy was socially active too and she and her husband Tom we original members when the Nashwatuc Country Club that was formed in Nine Acre Corner area of Concord in the 1960's.

Dorothy was also a long-time member of the United Women's Club of Concord, formerly the West Concord Women's Club. This group had many activities to benefit the community. Most prominent probably were the fairs they held to raise money for scholarships for graduating local high school seniors. Some of the club members also formed a group that made small Teddy Bears that they donated to the local Emerson Hospital for distribution to children that came to the hospital as patients. Dorothy was a member of this group.

Without a doubt though, one little known fact about Dorothy was her most important "give back" to her community. During her whole working career, she donated blood regularly. How many lives did she affect positively, or possibly save? This was truly giving back to the community.

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Dorothy on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap St., Concord. Her funeral service will be at the funeral home on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at St. Bernard's Cemetery, Concord.

To view Dorothy's funeral services, please visit the links below:

Funeral Service
https://youtu.be/epYkjc3bx6Q

Committal Service
https://youtu.be/a-p-1l_A9E4

Donations may be made in Dorothy's name to:
"The United Women's Club of Concord"
and sent to 36 Rollingwood Lane, Concord, MA 01742
or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap St., Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3388 www.concordfuneral.com