Obituary of Dorothy Jean Rabiet

Dorothy Rabiet died on October 2, 2023 at the Montgomery Nursing Home of natural causes. She was 86 years old. Dorothy Jean Prendergast known as Dot and Dottie to family and friends, was born on April 14, 1937 in Newark New Jersey to Reginald Henry Prendergast and Anna M. Berry. The Prendergast family moved to Middletown New York in 1942 where Dorothy and her sister Alice attended the Academy Avenue elementary school. Dorothy graduated from Middletown High School in 1955 and worked as an operator for the General Telephone Company, a typist at Dunn & Bradstreet, and as a secretary for the O&W Railroad, the Training School for Boys in New Hampton and the County National Bank in Middletown. Dorothy married Decatur B. Rabiet of Walden, New York in 1961 at the Walden United Methodist Church. Her fondest memory was of their wedding reception, surrounded by friends and family. Dorothy and Decatur lived for a year in Goshen then built a house on Decatur’s family’s property near Allard’s Corners west of Walden, New York where they raised three children and lived ever since. Dorothy served as a Den Mother for Cub Scout Pack 31, Den 7 of Walden, girl’s Little League coach and Sunday School teacher at Walden United Methodist Church. She worked as a domestic helper, a cook and an Avon lady and then as a secretary to the Superintendent of Valley Central Board of Education and secretary to the Principal of Montgomery Elementary School before retiring in 1992. Dorothy’s proudest achievement was raising her children. She was also proud of her Irish heritage and once visited Lismore in County Waterford where her great grandfather Rev. Henry Brougham (1827-1913) served as Dean of Lismore cathedral. She enjoyed family camping vacations, reading, collecting books by Irish authors, doing crossword puzzles and board games, hosting family dinners, dining out, watching movies, and attending plays. She made the worlds best lasagna. Dorothy is survived by her husband Decatur, daughter Linda Rabiet, son Michael Rabiet, son Scott Rabiet, daughter-in-law Leora Schiff, and sister Alice MacEntee. Dorothy was predeceased by her sister Margaret Francis (born & died 1937), her parents Reginald Henry Prendergast (1895-1958) and Anna M. Berry (1903-1954) her maternal grandparents Obadiah Berry (1876-1936) married to Cora Bailey (1885-1955), and paternal grandparents John Francis Prendergast (1868-1905) married to Edith Alice Brougham (1867-1916). Dorothy will be buried on October 4th at a private service at Wallkill Cemetery in Middletown, New York. Donations in her memory can be made to the Town of Montgomery Ambulance Corps.