Date Of Birth: June 14, 1921
Date Of Death: November 1, 2011
Frances Parry Dorworth, 90, beloved wife of William Dorworth
(deceased), passed away on November 1st , 2011 in Indianapolis, IN.
She is survived by her four children, Mary Charnley, Alice Holder,
Ruth Padgett and Jon Dorworth, their families, and her brother, Jack
Parry of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Fran graduated from Temple University in 1943 with a BS in Education.
She was also a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority. From 1943-1952
she was employed at Koppers Company of Pittsburgh, as manager of
employee publications.
Always active in her church, Fran’s involvements included Faith Alive,
Cursillo, and several years as a pastoral associate at Drake Hospital in
Cincinnati. Fran was also an associate of the Sisters of St. Mary.
In recent years Fran was editor of the Robin Run Village (Indianapolis)
weekly newsletter, The Chirpings.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 12th at Robin Run
Village Chapel, 5354 West 62nd Street, at 2pm.
Memorial Donations may be made to St. Vincent Hospice 8450 Payne Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46268
Dian Wrzesinski Robert Champion says
To Fran’s family,
Was so sad to hear of Fran’s passing. Your dad hired me in Milwaukee in 1973. Your parents welcomed me to Milwauke from Schenectady as a single gal. Fran patiently took me apartment hunting. It was fun getting to know her. She was a wonderful inspiration and a kind and gentle soul. Please know we are thinking of you at this difficult time.
Marita Hensley says
Ali, so sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. My prayers & thoughts are with you & your family. Marita
The Dorworth Children says
MomGÇÖs Tribute from Mary, Alice, Ruth and Jon
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Fran was a remarkable and exceptional woman. She led a rich and satisfying life, the kind of life she believed God has in store for all His children.
She loved the theater. She was active in drama throughout her years at Temple University and actually helped found the theater club at Koppers Company in Pittsburgh, where she starred in a number of leading roles. She remained interested in attending theater wherever she lived.
Mom loved learning. She never missed an opportunity to take a course or watch and record a documentary. In later years, she and Bill enjoyed many trips with Elder Hostel because of the educational component. She didnGÇÖt want to just see the sights, but also learn about the people and culture of each place she visited. She made her own video documentaries on trips to Ireland and out west. Books always lined her shelves and her life was filled with stories. Those stories were often expressed in writing.
Oh, how Fran loved to write. It was her writing skills that earned her a full scholarship to Temple, that eventually landed her the Koppers job of manager of employee publications., and these skills kept her busy as Editor of The Chirpings at Robin Run for the past several years.
Most of all, Fran loved people and God. This love was expressed by action and by prayer. Fran thoroughly enjoyed her involvement with each church she attended, Faith Alive, de Colores, Cursillo, as an associate of the Sister of St. Mary and the Order of St. Lukes. These involvements all helped her deepen her relationship with God.
She also lived out her faith by being active in programs such as Working in Neighborhoods, Habitat for Humanity, and the Drake Hospital Chaplaincy program.
Fran loved her brothers, Nate, Matt and Jack and their families. She loved attending and planning family reunions. Any Parry reunion or gathering was a significant part of who she was and had a big impact on all of us.
Fran loved her Bill. She lit up like a firefly when he would recount the story of how they met on that streetcar in Pittsburgh, in 1951. She swallowed hard and stuck by his side as he sold their home in later years and became GÇ£full-timersGÇ¥ on the road for 5 years in a big RV. Then she spent the last 3 years of her life walking with him through the dark tunnel of vascular dementia. How faithful she was to stay by his side and be his connector to the real world. When BillGÇÖs recognition of othersGÇÖ faded, he continued to recognize his Franny. Seeing her always brought a smile to his face. On August 9th, Fran helped walk Bill to the gates of heaven.
Fran loved her children, Mary, Alice, Ruth and Jon, and their spouses, Craig, Kevin, Greg and Ronda. She rejoiced in the arrival of each grandchild, Ashley, Zach, Stephen, Philip, Josh, Will, Emily, Luda and Nik. Daily she prayed for her children and grandchildren and this is what she prayed: Ephesians 6:10-18:
The Message (MSG)
10-12 God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
She believed each one of us was special to God and important for making a difference in this world.
From son-in-law Greg:
She was the best mother-in-law a man could ever ask for; always seeking to support, and never to undermine, the marriages of her kids. She had a discerning heart, and once she knew that you truly loved her child, that was enough for her. I never understood, or could laugh at, those jokes you hear about mothers-in-law; they just never made any sense to me. The only mother-in-law I ever knew, or will know, was just nothing like that.
She was a lady, a true gentlewoman. She had a quiet grace and dignity in her bearing, an easy elegance of manner; and yet she never put on airs or adopted the slightest pretension. She was quick to smile, and always sought out, and brought out, the best in every person she encountered.
She was a deep thinker, and was interested in everything. And she was unfailingly kind, a quality that is too little appreciated these days.
In sum, she lived out her faith by displaying the fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.