Obituary of Dorothy Janet Millstein

Dorothy J. Millstein of Middle Village, NY, Mineola, NY, and Waldwick, NJ passed away on September 6, 2020, aged nearly 90. Dorothy was born on September 18, 1930 to George and Beatrice Scherer of Middle Village, NY. The oldest of four children, she loved her family life, cooking and gardening with her mother and helping care for her brothers (Robert, George & Tommy). She often spoke of their WWII Victory Garden. A social and beautiful girl, Dorothy was stricken with polio at age eleven and was bedridden for a year. Through luck and perseverance, she overcame polio’s debilitating effects and relearned to walk. Dorothy was blessed with many creative talents, studying art, dance and voice, and even performing at Town Hall in NYC. She attended Grover Cleveland High School, Queens College, and the Katharine Gibbs School in Manhattan, taking pride in her stenographer’s shorthand and in the sense of professionalism the school instilled. She had a keen eye for fashion, sewing her own stylish outfits. She later joined Williams Advertising Agency in Manhattan, working as a secretary for a dashing account executive named Benjamin Millstein. Their attraction undeniable, they married in 1958. Two children, Janet and Jeffrey, soon followed, and the family settled in Mineola, NY. Amid the hustle and bustle of keeping house, Dorothy, Ben and the kids enjoyed frequent gatherings with extended family. On road trips, Dorothy would rejoice in a beautiful landscape and point out shapes in the clouds. She delighted in the antics of birds and chipmunks in their backyard and demonstrated compassion and kindness for all living creatures. She had a sharp sense of humor and enjoyed a good laugh. She always stocked her pocketbook for “emergencies”—including once a hard-boiled egg, wrapped carefully in a napkin, which came in handy to hold over her brother-in-law’s hunger before dinner at a family wedding. Once the children were grown, Dorothy and Ben enjoyed years of travel in the United States and abroad. In 1997, they moved to Waldwick, NJ, to be near family. They spent many happy years living at Tamaron, making new friends and creating a new chapter in their lives. Dorothy was predeceased by her loving husband Ben, who passed in December 2019, as well as her parents and siblings. She is survived by her daughter Janet and her husband Dao Chung, son Jeff and his wife Kathy, and five grandchildren (Jaclyn and husband James, Rachel, Kara, Mark, and Nathaniel), as well as nieces, nephews and their children. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, a private graveside family service will be held in Sharon Gardens Cemetery, New York. Donations in Dorothy’s memory can be made to a wildlife organization of the giver’s choice.