Dorothy M. Sawatis

AKWESASNE –Dorothy Marie Sawatis, age 84, of 401 St. Regis Road, peacefully passed away on Monday afternoon, December 19, 2011 at Massena Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.

Dorothy was born June 21, 1927 in Watertown, the daughter of the late Joseph and Josephine Casey Sawatis.  She attended schools in St. Regis and Bombay.  She worked locally in Bombay.

Dorothy was a homemaker who devoted her life to raising her children.  She loved to spend time with her family and especially enjoyed when her grandchildren would “drop by” for a visit.  She liked playing Radio Bingo and dice games.  Dorothy also enjoyed feeding the birds and knitting hats, mittens and scarves for local craft fairs.  She was an avid Toronto Maple Leaf fan and secretly supported Buffalo.

Dorothy will be sadly missed by her seven children, Cynthia Sawatis, Lionel and Louise Cook, Leon and Velma Cook, Lester Cook, and Debra Cook, all of Akwesasne; Doreen and Curtis Oakes of Cambridge, Ontario, and Joanne and Steve Arquette of Rochester; her 13 grandchildren, David, Christopher, Melissa, Bryan, Leon Jr., Toby, Matthew, Jeremy, Alyson, Joshua, Meghan, Lauren, and Michael; and her 11 great grandchildren, Daylan, David Jr., Dawson, Owen, Ethan, Caitlynn, Kolten, Addison, Rhylin, Lola, and Lili.  

She will also be missed by her six sisters, Isabel Rourke, Marita and Richard Francis, and Mary Alice Cook, all of Akwesasne; Anna-Marie and Harry Lambert of Florida; Harriett Sabraski  and Virginia Dionne, both of Buffalo; her brother, Nelson Sawatis and companion, Irene Gambill, of Akwesasne; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Dorothy was predeceased by her parents, a sister, Audrey V. Oakes on May 16, 2002; a godson John Fitzgerald Oakes; and the father of her children, Robert Cook.

Friends called at the Donaldson Funeral Home, Massena, where funeral services were held on Friday, December 23, 2011 with Rev. Jerome Pastores, officiating.  Burial will be held privately at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Regis Mohawk Senior Citizens, Route 37, Akwesasne, NY 13655 or American Heart and Stroke Foundation, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231.