Dorothy Elaine McCann

PORTLAND - Dorothy Elaine McCann, 83, died peacefully at The Cedars on September 20 with her loving sister, Margaretmary by her side. Dorothy was born in Portland, Maine on June 6, 1930 to Carl and Helen (Dougherty) McCann. She attended Portland Schools and graduated from Deering High School in the Class of 1948. She graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1952 with a B.A. degree and a major in French. She later received a M.Ed. from U.M.O. in 1975. As an undergraduate there, she was an active member in the Maine Masque, winning two Golden Apples as outstanding actress as well as a scholarship to the Camden Hills summer theater. She was a member of Chi Omega Sorority and active in the Newman Club where she was awarded the Cardinal Newman Key for outstanding Catholicism on campus. Throughout her life, Dottie never missed a D.H.S. Class of '48 or a Class of '52 U.M.O. reunion, working on committees to ensure "a good time was had by all." Friends go back to those years and beyond. After graduation, she traveled and studied briefly in Lausanne, Switzerland in conjunction with Boston University. This trip would be her first of many throughout the United States and Europe. She taught three years at Westbrook Junior College (now U.N.E.) and also worked several years at WGAN radio in sales and had a morning radio show as well. Singing had always been her special talent, and her radio show and varied engagements at Portland venues afforded the opportunity to use her beautiful singing voice and love of music. She taught at Belmont High School in Massachusetts and returned in 1960 to teach French at Falmouth High School where she was also head of the language department for several years. Dottie was responsible for taking many students on journeys to share her sense of adventure. Various trips to Quebec, France and England introduced students to a world of travel and cultural opportunities. In her last teaching assignment she joined her sister at Portland High School, retiring in 1989. All through the years Dottie had maintained her passion for theater. She gave many memorable performances for Portland Players; including "Mary" in Little Mary Sunshine, "Lucy" in Charlie Brown, "Miss Tweed" in Something's Afoot, and "Miss Hannigan" in Annie. Her last show was in Nunsense at the Lyric Theater, where she played a "sister" with her real-life sister, Margaretmary. On the occasion of her 70th birthday, her sister Margaretmary arranged for long-time friend and well-known musician, Tom Snow, to produce and accompany Dottie on a C.D. of a selection of her favorite songs. Dottie was on the board of the Portland Concert Association (now Ovation) and was President of the Alliance Francaise. She was also active in the College Club and Women's Literary Union, as well as being a great supporter of the Portland Players, Lyric Theater, Portland Museum of Art, Portland Symphony Orchestra, and Ogunquit Museum of American Art. Childhood summers were spent at the family cottage in Old Orchard Beach, and for thirty seasons, Dottie and her sisters, Mingie, Bibi and Cathy ran the Periwinkle at Pine Point, a tea room and gift shop. Customers from across the country and Canada, enjoying the Periwinkle's ambiance and delicious homemade desserts, quickly became friends. In later years Dottie and her sister moved to Applegate in Falmouth and in 2007 they moved to the Atrium at The Cedars. Dottie's faith, family and friends were always central to her happiness, and during her long illness she relied on all three of them. Her last months included support from Hospice of Southern Maine, and her special caregiver, Jackie Nelson, and dear friends Ellen Deering and the Norbert Family, along with the caring staff and volunteers at The Cedars, Leibowitz Wing, shared comfort and kindness to Dottie in her last years. Dorothy is survived by her sister, Margaretmary McCann of Portland, her niece and husband Marycatherine (Foley) and Peter Rowan and sons Andrew and Daniel of Vermont, niece Kerry (McCann) and husband, Michael Schnell of New Hampshire and their children Matthew and Amanda, niece and husband Jane (McCann) and Michael Dipietro and daughter Mary of Cape Elizabeth, niece and husband Cathyann (McCann) and Matthew Ray of New Jersey and their children Callie, Madeline, and Jack, and nephew Bradley McCann of Portland. In addition she is survived by loving members of the Hemond and Staples families and countless friends, cousins and former students. She will also be greatly missed by her dog G.G. "Good Girl." In addition to her parents Carl (C.F.) and Helen, Dorothy was also pre-deceased by her dear sisters Elizabeth "Bibi" McCann and Catherine (McCann) Foley and husband, Peter, her loving brother Carl and wife, Ann, and sister-in-law Joyce (Bradley) McCann. Visiting hours will be Thursday, September 26, from 4:00 to 7:00 at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Ave, Portland, ME, on Friday, September 27, at 10:00 followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery. A luncheon will be held after the burial, where friends are encouraged to share "Dottie stories" to celebrate her long and happy life! In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dottie's name to the Class of 1952 Scholarship Fund, Alumni Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469 or The Cedars, 630 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103.Online condolences may be expressed below.