DOROTHY DIEBOLD

DIEBOLD--Dorothy Roosen, July 6, 2010. Dorothy Orizondo Roosen Diebold, age 105, went to meet her Heavenly Father at her beloved home, Toplands Farm, in Roxbury, CT on Tuesday, July 6, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Richard Diebold, mother Clarita Orizondo Roosen, father Herman Dudley Roosen, sisters Clarita Roosen and Helen Roosen Curran, brothers Berend Roosen and Robert Roosen, and grandson Albert Richard Diebold III. Long a fixture of New York City, Palm Beach, Boca Grande, Florida, and Roxbury, Connecticut, Mrs. Diebold is survived by her children Albert Richard Diebold, Diane Diebold Terni, and Dudley George Diebold and wife Honoria Hine Diebold; her grandchildren Deborah Diebold de Naveja and husband Juan-Maria Naveja de Anda, Linda Gavel Webb and husband Arthur Heberer III, Daphne Diebold Stoughton and husband James Stoughton, Frank Gavel, Jr., and wife Laurie McKee Gavel, Stephen Gavel, and Caitlin Diebold and husband Kevin O'Connell; and great-grandchildren Juan-Maria Naveja Diebold, Thomas Gavel, Charles Webb, Rebecca Gavel. In addition, Mrs. Diebold leaves behind her dear friends Shirley Gilbert and Olive Simpson, as well as many wonderful nurses and staff in Roxbury and Boca Grande, who gave her kind and loving care for years. Born in Brooklyn, New York on February 3, 1905, the former Dorothy Roosen attended the Ogontz School in Pennsylvania, where she excelled in field hockey and book binding and earnestly studied the works of John Glasworthy, before making her debut in New York City and marrying Albert Richard Diebold there in 1931. A stalwart of the St. James Church altar guild in New York City, as well as that of Christ Church in Roxbury and St. Andrew's Church in Boca Grande, Mrs. Diebold was an award winning needle-pointer, who made many beautiful pieces for her churches, including the magnificent kneelers that are used to this day. She was an active member of the Colony Club for many years. A scratch golfer, Mrs. Diebold particularly enjoyed playing the game at the Washington Club with her mother, when both were well along in years. She was a member of the Red Cross Ambulance Corps in New York City during World War II and followed her husband to Washington, DC, when he served in the U.S. Army there during the conflict. She was a great supporter of many charitable causes in Florida, Connecticut, and elsewhere, including the Roxbury Land Trust, The Christian Herald Association, Roxbury and Boca Grande Fire, Ambulance, Library and Churches and many, many others. Known as a formidable grande dame and arbiter of social correctness, Mrs. Diebold was also an amazingly gracious hostess and supremely generous and thoughtful friend, who appreciated the special essence of everyone she met. She taught her grandchildren to call her Mumsie and somewhere along the line, everyone started calling her Mumsie. Mumsie will be eulogized on Friday, July 9, 2010 at 11am, Christ Church Roxbury, CT and all who loved her are welcome. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to Christ Church, Roxbury or the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department.