Dorothy Wilber Obituary

Dorothy Wilber
Our strong, beautiful mother, grandmother, and friend, Dorothy G. Wilber, beloved wife of the late James F. Wilber, III, passed away on December 11, 2023, of heart disease. She was born in Norwich, CT on March 16, 1930, the daughter of the late Royal and Louise Grover, graduated from the Norwich Free Academy in 1947, and the New Britain Hospital School of Nursing in 1950. Dorothy married her high school sweetheart in 1951 and they eventually settled in Enfield, CT, where they raised their five children.
She loved all things needle crafts, spending hours with the ladies of the Enfield Congregational Church making blankets for babies and hats for cancer patients. She was a member of a thimble collector's group and traveled to thimble collecting conventions all over the country. She insisted her children take piano lessons which led to all of them having a passion for music. She was never without a book, even after Macular Degeneration took her sight. She loved nursing and worked at various medical establishments, including Johnson Memorial Hospital and Dr. Brendan Magauran's family practice. Despite a 47-year history of heart disease, she refused to be a "cardiac invalid." She loved to travel and was determined to attend her grandson's wedding in San Diego in the fall of 2022. The "four old ladies in a car" road trip from San Antonio to Enfield followed after the wedding.
Dorothy is survived by her children: Cynthia Violette of Enfield; Susan Holmes of San Antonio, TX; David Wilber (Lynn) of Syracuse, NY; Ellen Wilber of Enfield, NH; and Janet Wilber of Griswold, CT. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Pamela Holmes (Scott Herrick); Daniel Holmes (Andrea); Brian Wilber (Becca); and Molly Wilber, and her great-grandchildren Melody Holmes, Clara Herrick, James Herrick, Forrest Herrick, and Samantha Holmes; and three nieces and their families. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Royal Grover, Jr. and two grandsons, James and Peter Holmes.
Calling hours will be Friday, December 15th from 5-7 p.m. at Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Rd., Enfield. Burial will be on Saturday, December 16th at 10:30 at the Hazardville Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. For online condolences, please visit www.leetestevens.com.