Obituary of Dorothy L. Gavel

Dorothy L. Gavel, of Burlington, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 12, at the Sawtelle Hospice House in Reading. She was 75 years old. Dot was born in Salem, MA. She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Eva Dudley. She was raised and educated in Salem. She was a 1959 graduate of Salem High School. Dot worked for the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company for several years. Dot loved her family, food and all little children. She was a Brownie leader for many years and served as a lunchroom monitor at the Fox Hill elementary school. She operated a private day care center in her home for over thirty years. “Dot’s Tots” gave her the opportunity to assist in raising kids with love, humor and plain old good cooking. Many of the children and their families became lifelong friends. You never visited Dot without being offered food or at least a cup of hot tea. She was a great host. She knew everyone’s favorites, and loved surprising people with her “world famous” fudge or date-nut squares. If she was invited to any function, her first question was always “what can I make?” Her favorite times were spent with family and friends outside by the pool, most notably hosting the annual Gavel Family Cookout with her husband, Don. There were some years that extra friends outnumbered relatives, because everyone was always welcome and Dot and Don had an open door policy. Everyone who knew Dot would agree that her greatest joy came from being a grandmother and great-grandmother. She would happily share her grandchildren’s news and accomplishments with her friends, and even with strangers if they happened to meet standing in the grocery line! In her free time, Dot loved to work on logic puzzles and difficult crosswords, all in pen. Dorothy was the beloved wife of the late Donald J. Gavel. She was the loving mother of Donna Coe and her husband Samuel of Burlington, Denise Iafolla and her husband Michael of Doylestown, PA, and the late Donald J. Gavel Jr. She was the proud grandmother of Amanda Morrison & her husband Jonathan of Tewksbury, Caroline & Christopher Coe of Burlington, Katie Iafolla of Boston, Cole & Abbey Iafolla of Doylestown, PA and great grandmother of Riley & Alexa Morrison. She is survived by her brother Joseph Dudley of North Carolina. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Sunday, September 18 from 3-6 pm. Funeral from the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington on Monday at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret's Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 AM. The interment will follow at Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Dorothy’s name may be made to the VNA of Middlesex East Sawtelle Family Hospice House, 607 North Ave., Suite 17, Wakefield, MA 01880.