Former Amherst and Belchertown, MA resident Dorothy T. “Theresa” Whitney, 85, died Sunday, June 15, 2014 resting comfortably in York Hospital, York, ME. 

Mrs. Whitney was born October 20, 1928 in Boston, MA, to Charles A. and Nora E. (Kissel) Mohan.   Most of her early life was spent in Roxbury, MA and she attended High School in nearby Boston.

Shortly thereafter, she met and married Eugene P. Whitney, from Medford MA, on April 9, 1949, and moved to the western part of Massachusetts.  There, they remained married for over 46 years and raised a family of 5 children in Amherst.

After raising her children, she went into professional life by running a local telephone answering service for several years.  Following that, and for almost 30 years, she was the assistant to the Treasurer of the University of Massachusetts, playing an instrumental part in the acquisition of the real estate for many of UMass’s diverse and distributed campuses. 

During the latter part of her life, she led a more quiet and contemplative life.  She was very active in Church life (First Church of Amherst) while the children were growing up.  However, later, she would become a Eucharistic Minister, serving St. Brigid’s Church in Amherst and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Belchertown, as well as taking her vows as a Benedictine Oblate at the St. Scholastica Priory in Petersham, MA.

She moved to Wells, ME in 2008. She was both adventurous and courageous, and had a zest for life that led to her becoming a private pilot and even to the extreme of trying her hand at parachuting, much to the surprise of her husband.   She also loved dogs and spent much of her life in the company of them.  

She also loved piano bars and spent many years with good friends and family on the Southern Maine seacoast enjoying her favorite places by the sea, featuring good food and entertainment.   Everyone always wanted to sit near her, since she always knew the words to all of the songs.    

A loving mother, confidant, and friend, Theresa was always there to lend a helping hand.  She was strong and fearless in her ability to live life.   

Mrs. Whitney was predeceased by her husband, Gene, in November of 1995 and her sister Mary in 2005.  

She is survived by her son, James Whitney of Waterbury, CT; son Richard Whitney of Wells, ME, son and daughter-in-law Paul and Susan Whitney of Falls Church, VA;  daughter and son-in-law, Jayne and Peter Krause of Hadley, MA;  daughter Suzanne W. Ragland of Northport, FL.; brother and sister-in law Philip and Patti Mohan of Norwell, MA; sister-in law Edith K. Whitney of Medford, MA; grandchildren, David Whitney of Waterbury, CT; Shannon Whitney of Alexandria, VA;  Sabrina and Haydn Hardwick of St. Petersburg, FL; Jessica Krause and Chris Stanavage of Hadley, MA; and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 21, at 10:00 a.m.  in St. Francis of Assisi Church, Belchertown with burial following in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. Calling hours will be Friday, June 20, from 5-8 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst.

Donations in her name to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital may be made in lieu of flowers if folks are so inclined.  Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.