Dorothy May Erickson Celso, 96, of Hamden, departed this life on Saturday, June 15, 2019 holding her daughter’s hand. Married for 63 years to the late Anthony Celso, she was born August 7, 1922 in West Haven, CT, a daughter of the late Willard J. and Maryellen Daly Erickson. Having worked for New Haven Railroad and the New Haven Tobacco Company during the war years, she waited patiently for Tony to return from his service with Army. They built what would become their family home on Westminster Street in Hamden where she would live for the next 65 years. Dottie enjoyed being a homemaker and a mother, spending time with friends and family, backyard picnics and weekend travel. A love of all animals but particularly cats, she was also known to be a chocoholic. She was a three-time cancer survivor, having dealt with each occurrence with the strength courage and sense of humor that ultimately allowed her to live almost to her 97th years. Dottie is survived by her daughter Cynthia Celso and her husband William Cornelius of North Haven, granddaughter Beth White (Steve) and great-granddaughter Elie of Lexington KY, as well as sister-in-law Lena Celso and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother Willard Erickson, Jr. and sister Helen R. Grillo. The last two and a half years of her life were spent at Benchmark Senior Living in Hamden, where Dottie enjoyed the company of new friends, activities and adventures that surly enhanced the late years of her life. Her daughter is grateful for the caring staff at Benchmark, as well as Mt. Carmel Medical Associate and Constellation Hospice.
The visiting hours will be Wednesday, June 19th from 5 to 7 pm at the North Haven Funeral , 36 Washington Avenue, North Haven. Family and friends are invited to meet at the office of All Saints Cemetery, 700 Middletown Avenue, North Haven on Thursday morning, June 20th at 9:45 to follow the procession to the graveside for a 10:00 service. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Haven, Inc. 89 Mill Road, North Haven, CT 06473 or Susan G. Komen Foundation, Dept. 41831, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, Texas 75265
My life is much richer from the opportunity to care for Dottie. I will treasure the memories I have of a fiesty beautiful woman.
Her banana bread will live on as long as we are still here on earth… we think of her every time we I make it which is quite often… Her famous “one bowl” Banana bread as she called it .. what Wonderful delightful lady and such amazing daughter you are …. Our love and prayers come your way with the deepest felt condolences … remember she told you to stay away from those Chamberlin boys … we are Sure glad you did not listen to that later in life… you are a cherished and precious a friend to all of us… God rest and keep her soul and comfort you in your time of loss
My aunt Dot was a very great and wonderful part of my entire life. She was there for me at every event from my baptism to my graduation from med school. Every birthday, anniversary, Christmas there would be a card from Hamden. I still have and cherish a small photo book she made for me some 25 years ago. In it she put comics she cut from the newspaper and some photos she had of me (and some cute cats) in her collection going back to when I was a baby. Many were sent with hand-written comments, many of them hilarious, about the little fellow in the pictures. Her hand writing was unique and impeccable – it was like her trademark. I’ve never seen the equal of it. She always had the most wonderful sense of humor. Perhaps my fondest memories of all are those from vacations our families took together over the years: a cottage on a little lake in Wales, MA; a cottage in Falmouth on the Cape; a place on a lake in Guilford or the nutty vacation up on the Connecticut River in New Hampshire with the bears. I will always remember the cookouts in the backyards and the parties, the Christmas eves, the Easters, the Thanksgivings and the many happy events we shared over the years. And when there were times of sadness or hardship, she was always there with sympathy, support and -when the occasion required it- a comical if cutting assessment. She will be deeply missed . I hope she and my parents and my uncle Tony are sitting around having appetizers up there in heaven.