Dorothy Louise (Rook) Day

Dorothy Louise (Rook) Day, 81, of Windham, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Wednesday, February 20th at Douglas Manor in Windham Center, CT.   Born in Fords, NJ on March 22, 1937, Dorothy grew up in Windham Center and graduated from Windham High School in 1954. She was a member of the National Women’s Honor Society and earned triple majors in Physics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at Saint Lawrence University, where she met and married her husband, the late Rev. Jon W. Day, in 1957. She was the first female Computer Programmer and Analog Computer Specialist at Pratt and Whitney on the Univac computer, and would go on to be a Systems Analyst for the Hartford Insurance Group. Dorothy had two sons. Between the 1960s and 2012, she and her family lived in Lisbon, NH, W. Cornwall, Falls Village, Windsor and Bloomfield, Connecticut, as well as a summer home in Solon, ME.   Dorothy loved camping, and spending time with her family and friends and delighted in collecting and reading many books focused on the art of living a happy life. She strongly believed that a study of happiness should be taught in public schools as part of the curriculum.   She enjoyed her fellowship with the Bloomfield Congregational Church.

Dorothy is predeceased by her husband, Rev. Jon W. Day, who passed away in 2013 and is honored and survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Harry L. and Lois Chesbro Rook of South Duxbury, VT.; sister-in-law, Linda Beauchamp of Naugatuck, CT.; her children, Jon M Day, Sr. and wife Pam Day of Norwich, CT., and Dr. Jared N. Day of Windham Center, CT.; five grandchildren and their spouses,  Mandelynn and husband Scott Murray of Colchester, CT., Julie and husband Ken Hillhouse of Uncasville, CT., Jon M Day, Jr. and wife Katie Day of Ledyard, CT., Sydney and husband Nicholas Shifrin of Bolton, CT., Samantha Day of West Hartford, CT.; eight great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Dorothy is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Kirsten Rook and husband Jason Willett of Baltimore, MD., Martha Rook and John Bearley of Harvard, MA., and Emily Rook along with her daughter of Maugansville, MD., Claudia and husband William Chockey, Jr. of Naugatuck, CT., and Philip and wife Ja Ahumada, Land O’ Lakes, FL.

A celebration of her life is being planned for this Spring, anyone wishing to attend a public gathering in her remembrance can request the scheduled date by emailing jon@cia.llc. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy’s name may be given to the Newington Pet Wellness and Adoption Center, 701 Russell Rd., Newington, CT, 06111 or by giving one of their cats a forever home. 

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