Our beloved mother, Dorothy T. Quirk Boisvert, passed away peacefully at home on July 7, 2026, surrounded by her family. Dorothy, also known to friends and family as Dot, Dottie, Dotsie, Mom, Mommy, Gram, and Gigi, was born on August 14, 1933, in Jersey City, NJ, to William A. and Helen Twomey Quirk. She married her children’s father †Victor Parusa in 1954.

In 1981, Dot married †Laurier “Larry” Boisvert and settled in Windham, CT. She and Larry traveled extensively across the U.S. and overseas, and enjoyed square dancing with the Windham Whirlers, where they met lifelong friends Chuck and Noreen Morgan and Kay and Art Cody. Dot worked many years at University Pharmacy (later Storrs Drug) in Storrs, CT and later as a clerk typist at the University of Connecticut, where she met lifelong friend Joanne Sullivan.

Dot was caring, warm, and thoughtful. She generously volunteered her time at St. Joseph Living Center in Windham, CT for over 20 years, assisting and comforting residents. She always remembered birthdays and special occasions, and many lucky people received notes or cards from her letting them know she was thinking of them.

Dot was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Willimantic until Larry’s passing in 2014, when she moved to Eastford, CT. She then became a communicant of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Ashford, CT, where she befriended Father Michael Giannitelli. In her later years, she enjoyed gardening, watching birds, caring for her rescue greyhound Lily and black cat Benny, and the company of family and close friends. Everyone enjoyed her gentle spirit and mischievous sense of humor.

She leaves her loving son Michael W. Parusa, loving daughter Laura Parusa Harakaly and husband Charlie, grandchildren Michael and James Harakaly, great-grandchild River Rose Harakaly, Morgan and Audra Kleckner and several nieces and nephews. She also leaves step-children Elaine (Norman) Bernier, Tom (Debbie) Boisvert, Donald (Genny) Boisvert, and Denise Boisvert, several grandchildren, step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, and many friends.

She was predeceased by son James V. “JP West” Parusa, grand-niece Nicole Boisvert Garvis, great-niece Becky Ziegler, five brothers, and a sister. Her siblings and their children include brother †William (†Margaret) Quirk and their children †Rita (†Edmund) Tucker, Daniel (Lorna) Quirk, †Janet Glasser, †Anne Quirk, †Kenneth (†Donna) Quirk, and Pete (†Darlene) Quirk; brother †George (†Evelyn) Quirk Sr. and their children William (†Sandy) Quirk, Yvonne Quirk (Marilyn) Phaneuf, and †George Jr. (Norma) Quirk; sister †Anne (†Robert) Alape and their children †Robert (Sue) Alape, Kathleen (†William) Carpenter, †William Alape, Joyce (Russ) Hanson, and Philip Alape; brother †Edward (Agnes) Quirk and their child Kathleen Quirk Fisher; brother †Walter (†Audrey) Quirk and their children Walter (†Toni) Quirk, Theresa Quirk, David (Luann) Quirk, Carrie Quirk Sillet and †Bobby Quirk; brother †Robert (†Dorothy) Quirk and their children James (Beverly) Quirk, Cindy Quirk Cuprzynski, Margie Quirk Finan, and †MaryAnn Quirk Maimone; and infant brother †Joseph Quirk. The family wishes to thank Hartford Healthcare at Home, and especially nurse Sara Batter, for their kindness and care over the last four months.

On Saturday, July 18, 2026, at St. Philip the Apostle Church, 64 Pompey Hollow Road, Ashford, CT, a wake will be held at 9am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. After the Mass, a graveside service will take place at St. Philip Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the St. Philip Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dot’s memory to Our Companions Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, Ashford, CT (www.ourcompanions.org) or Connecticut Greyhound Adoption, North Branford, CT (https://ctgreyhounds.org).