Dorothy Mary Miller Monaghan

Obituary: Dorothy Monaghan, beloved mother of Noreen Monaghan Reilly, passed away December 17, at Five Oaks Manor, in Concord, NC. Mrs. Monaghan was born April 12, 1919. She was the wife of John Monaghan of Trenton, NJ, whose untimely death left her a widow in 1963. Her maiden name was Dorothy Mary Miller, and she was the daughter of Lewis Miller and Ellen Smythe, also of Trenton, NJ. Though she was an only child, she enjoyed a close and loving relationship with a large extended family in NJ, in North Carolina and in Georgia. She lived a long and productive life. Her smile, her sense of humor and her self-effacing joy for life will be missed by everyone who knew her.Dorothy, a devout Catholic, lived a life of faith in God, whose friendship was the center of her existence. She was a woman of strength and character, endowed with a vivacious sense of humor which lit up the lives of those blessed to share with her their time on earth. Her personality was forged in the crucible of the depression. Despite limited means, she devoted herself with determination to her duty as a widowed single mother who courageously faced the responsibilities of life. The immense love, respect and gratitude of her daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren and great grandchild are a testimony to her effectiveness in fulfilling these responsibilities with selflessness, dignity, joy and an undying devotion to honoring God and doing the right thing. Dorothy completed her academic education upon graduating from St. Mary's Cathedral High School in Trenton, NJ, before commencing training as a professional keypunch operator. She spent more than 40 years working for the State of NJ. She was full of the love of life, and beloved by her friends and co-workers, many of whom sadly preceded her in death. In her final years, she moved to North Carolina to be closer to her nuclear family, and, after a regrettable fall in 2009, from which she never fully recovered, she was an encouragement and a joy to caretakers, her roommates and fellow residents at Five Oaks Manor. In remembering Dorothy, her family wishes to extend a special note of deepest appreciation to everyone at Five Oaks Manor who showered on Dorothy their love and kind care. We will ever be grateful. viewing and remembrance, in celebration of God's gift of the life of Dorothy Monaghan, will be held Sunday afternoon at 4PM, at Whitley's Funeral Home in Kannapolis, NC. Whitley's address is 1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083.
Visitation: viewing and remembrance, in celebration of Gods gift of the life of Dorothy Monaghan, was held 4:00 PM Sunday, December18, 2011 , at Whitleys Funeral Home in Kannapolis, NC.

Service: Pending

Interment: Pending