Mary P. “Petie” Dorman, died at her home in Lambertville on Tuesday, July 14. She was 95.
Born and raised in West Orange, N.J., she was given the affectionate nickname “Petie” by her husband while they were dating at West Point. She graduated from West Orange High School. Married to Colonel George Stanton Dorman, U.S. Airforce, Petie lived the life of a military officer’s wife. Their assignments made them citizens of the world. Petie and George raised their three sons in such far-flung locales as South Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Libya, England and Virginia. She was active in the Officers’ Wives Clubs at their various assignments and and worked for the White House Historical Association during Jacqueline Kennedy’s restoration of the executive mansion.
With George’s death in 1969, Petie became a Gold Star widow. She returned to her New Jersey roots on the invitation of Jean Byrne, the wife of Governor Brendan Byrne, to serve as the Byrnes’ social secretary at Morven, the official governor’s residence in Princeton.
Petie settled in Lambertville where she became active in the community in 1986. A member of St. John the Evangelist Church, she was a member of the Parish’s 150th Anniversary Celebration. She volunteered at the Lambertville Public Library, the Lambertville Historical Society House Tour and the Centenary United Methodist Church’s Community Kitchen. She worked part time at the Inn at Lambertville Station and Heritage Lighting.
She enjoyed swimming, walking and was an avid reader. She was up on the currents events and shared her opinions freely. Most Lambertville residents knew Petie from meeting her on her front porch. She was often there reading, chatting and graciously offering a cocktail to her friends. Petie touched innumerable lives with her wit, intellect, friendship and generous spirit.
Petie was the wife of the late Col. George Stanton Dorman, U.S.A.F., the daughter of the late Alexander and Sophia Pontus Procurat and the sister of the late Jean Parker and Helen Nunnink. She is survived by her sons George “Buck” Dorman of Lambertville, Robert A. Dorman of Pensacola, Fla. and William C. Dorman of Naples, Fla.; her grandchildren Heather Dorman, Megan Harvey (husband Kennis), Kristie Funston (Bryant), Katie Tuttle (Reed); her seven great-grandchildren; her nephew Robert Nunnink (Louise); her nieces Cathy Carlin (Ed), Patricia Sasso (Nick), Robin Parker and Kim Mares.
There will be calling hours at the Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home on the evening of Tuesday, July 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., and on Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. Funeral services and interment in West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York, will be announced at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to the Community Kitchen/Centenary United Methodist Church, 108 N. Union St., Lambertville, NJ 08530 or to the Lambertville Historical Society, P.O. Box 2, Lambertville, NJ 08530.
Information provided by Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home
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