Doris L. (Lerew) DeNoto

     Doris “Dorrie” L. DeNoto, 100 years, of Sturgeon Bay passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at Pine Crest Village.

     Doris was born December 18, 1922, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, daughter of the late Hiram and Esther Lerew. She married Anthony Robert DeNoto in New Orleans in March of 1944. Tony was in the U.S. Army and was soon stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Tony was deployed to Okinawa, Japan to engage in WWII. Doris took a train to Bristol, Connecticut to be with her new, rather large, Italian family, “the DeNotos”. She was 21 and pregnant with her first child, Anthony Jr., who was born December of 1944. Tony returned from the War to see his son for the first time when Bob was 13 months old. Doris and Tony were truly a chapter out of Tom Brokaw’s book The Greatest Generation.

     Their daughter, Katherine, was born July of 1949 and daughter, Frances, in May of 1951. The children were raised between Bristol and their beloved summer cottage on the Connecticut shoreline in Old Saybrook.

     Tony and Doris retired in the mid-1970s to Daytona, Florida. Tony preceded Doris in death in 1987. After dad’s death, mom shared time between Daytona, Sturgeon Bay, Vacaville, California. She met Harold Van Wieren in Vacaville and the two were married in 2005. While living at Brookdale Senior Living in Vacaville, Doris was named “Best Dressed”. She also volunteered in Brookdale’s Thrift Store. Van passed in 2013. In April of 2016, Doris moved to Pine Crest Village in Sturgeon Bay to share this wonderful community.

     Mom lived a remarkable life, following the “Gypsy” in her. She enjoyed moving into new homes, new areas of the country and exploring. Doris loved her African Violets. At one time in Florida, she raised over 100, and was president of the local African Violets Club. Mom doted on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She knitted all of us at least one special scarf, Bob’s being her last.

     At 100 years, she survived all her seven siblings and many others. Dorrie is also survived by her three children, Bob, Kath, and Fran; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

     As a dear friend of Bob’s, Dr. Marc Binard, said when he last discharged Dorrie from the hospital, “She’s had a great run, Bob.” 

     We love you, Mom. Everlasting peace!

     In honor of her wishes, no formal services will be held.

     Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC of Sturgeon Bay are assisting the DeNoto family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Dorrie may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.

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