Dorothy Marie (Green) Burnside

Dorothy Marie (Green) Burnside, 95, died after an illness at the Mercy House of the Southern Tier in Endicott, NY.

Dorothy was born in Johnson City and raised by her parents, James and Leona Green.  Dorothy’s father James worked as a sole-cutter at Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company and the family of nine lived in one of the original “EJ houses” on Lester Avenue.  This house was built by Endicott-Johnson and remained in Dorothy’s family for almost 90 years.  

As a youngster, Dorothy attended Harry L. Johnson grammar school.  After graduating from Johnson City High school in 1939, Dorothy immediately began work at IBM in Endicott.  She worked at IBM for several years until enlisting in the US Navy in World War II. In her final years, Dorothy spoke often of the significance to her of her service during the war.

Dorothy received her military training at U.S. Naval training schools in New York and Oklahoma. Dorothy served her country as a communications telegrapher for three years, performing highly-classified work at Eastern Sea Frontier headquarters in lower Manhattan.  She was responsible for oversight of her duty section crew.  This operational command was in charge of the security of the entire eastern coastal seaboard, providing convoy escorts, sea-air rescue, harbor defense, anti-submarine operations, shipping lane patrol, minesweeping, and air operations. At the time of her discharge, Dorothy had achieved the rank of Yeoman 3^rd class. 

Dorothy and, future husband, Ralph met shortly after they both were discharged from the service (Ralph was a first lieutenant in Army and served in the Pacific Ocean Theater of operations).  After a one-year courtship, they married in 1946 in New Jersey.

After the war, Dorothy resumed work at IBM, while Ralph resumed operating the Hudson Street Wine & Liquor store in Manhattan, which he owned and had operated before the war. 

Ralph and Dorothy raised their family as Ralph continued his career in the liquor industry and beyond.  There were several places they called home over the years: Brooklyn, Long Island, and Louisville (Kentucky).  They finally retired in Binghamton, Dorothy’s hometown, where she had close relatives and many memories.

Dorothy was very interested in her family’s genealogy and over a number of years diligently traced her mother’s family line back to 1634 when Thomas Sherwood (born in Ipswich, England in 1593) arrived in Boston.  She would proudly tell people that his descendant, Asa Sherwood, was a sergeant in the Revolutionary War, fighting against the British.  Dorothy’s mother, Leona (Sherwood) Green, was a descendant in the same family line.  Dorothy would not miss any large extended family reunion of the Sherwood clan in nearby Greene, NY.

Dorothy was a lifelong member and volunteer of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  In her later years, she was an active member of the local Tuscarora, NY chapter.  She received special recognition by that organization for 50 years of service.  She was also a member of several other genealogical organizations, such as the National Society of United States Daughters of 1812 and the National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims.

Dorothy was a skilled devotee of needle arts, including needlepoint, crewel embroidery, and the great passion in her later years, quilting.  She made many beautiful quilts for friends and family members. In her last 20 years, she met regularly with a loyal group of local quilters at the home of one of her close friends.

Dorothy was a sincere and devout Catholic throughout her life.  Her first job as a young teenager was in the rectory at St. James Church in Johnson City.  She was a lay ecclesial minister at St. Patrick’s Church in Glen Cove, NY, and taught catechism and computer classes at its affiliated school.

Dorothy had many roles in her life and she took them all with the same sense of earnest responsibility.  Among other roles, she was a devoted daughter, employee, soldier, wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and teacher.  Of course, many people could call her simply “friend.” She touched the lives of countless people in her long and productive life. 

She is survived by her sons: Ralph (Dorothy) and Daniel (Ellen); grandson, Daniel; and great-granddaughter, Devan.  Also, she is survived by many relatives, William Hryck (Karen); Kathleen Cooper (John); Juliann Skiadas (Jim); Mariann Conroy; Jean Cassin (Jim); Jeannette Burnside; Dawn Padfield (Steven); James Burnside; Greg Burnside (Jennifer); sister-in-law, Joanne Green; Patrick Green; Cathy O'Brien; Tim Green; and George Green.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Ralph, and siblings: Viola, Leo, Rosemary, Daniel, John, and George.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 9am until 11am at St. James Church, 131 Main St., Johnson City.  A Funeral Mass will follow at 11am with burial at Calvary Cemetery, 501 Fairview Street, Johnson City.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider making donations to Mercy House of the Southern Tier, 212 N. McKinley Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760.

To share a memory or to read more about Dorothy, visit www.jfricefh.com.

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