Dorothea Patricia Courtwright

Dorothea Patricia (Dooley) Courtwright Dotte Courtwright of Ambler, PA died peacefully on April 9, 2020, just three days before her 92nd birthday. Dotte was born on April 12, 1928 in her beloved Brooklyn, NY to Josephine Gertrude Thilman and Joseph Vincent Dooley, Sr. She took piano lessons until age 16 and no one ever had to push her to practice, she loved it so. An avid disciple of classical music, she was a frequent attendee of the Philadelphia Orchestra with over 25 years of season tickets. She worked as a legal secretary and, after changing careers at age 60, as a court reporter for a further 20 years. At approximately the age of 80, she once again returned to her former occupation as a legal secretary to a local lawyer, a position from which she finally retired, albeit reluctantly, very close to the age of 90! In her later years, she also volunteered at the Ambler Theater, a local arts cinema. Known by her loved ones for her elegant penmanship and even more beautiful writing, Dotte wrote heartfelt letters and cards to all her family members and friends, never forgetting a single occasion or event. She spent many wonderful summers at the beach and loved ...[more]

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ng in the water. A survivor of both skin and breast cancer, Dotte's toughness and tenacity were unparalleled. Dotte was a spirited, stubborn, and fiercely inquisitive leftist activist, and a true friend. She loved wolves, Brooklyn, Diet Coke, and classical piano. She had no patience for grammatical errors or political hypocrisy. She will be remembered for her acerbic wit, "piping hot" coffee, and unfailing generosity. Our one-of-a-kind mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother is survived by her children, Christine Klemmer Tashi (Tsering Thondup-deceased), Valerie Klemmer Watts (Dennis Watts), Janis Klemmer Homsher (Michael Homsher), and Al Courtwright (Mary Fran Paul); grandsons Gabriel Klemmer Dungan, Vincent Klemmer Dungan (Lianlian Chen), and Adrian Klemmer Dungan (Nicole Aga); granddaughters Kira Klemmer Homsher, Lhamo Thondup, and Karma Tashi; great-grandchildren Liam, Braydon, Dessi, and James Dungan and Ngawang Rigdol; numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved cat, Mahler. Please consider donating to one or more of the following organizations in her honor: The American Civil Liberties Union - https://www.aclu.org/ The National Bail Fund Network - https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory Defenders Save the Wolves - https://defenders.org/blog/2019/05/save-our-wolves The Philadelphia Orchestra - https://www.philorch.org/support-us/membership-and-donor-resources/honorary-and-memorial-gifts/ A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later date. Share photos, tributes, and signup now to receive Memorial Service update notifications at the top of Dotte's Tribute Page. www.urbanfuneralhome.com