Dorothy Crounse Lauriat

SOUTHWEST HARBOR - On September 14, 2014, Dorothy Crounse Lauriat, 92, died at a Bangor facility. The daughter of Cyrus Crounse and Ruth Bamer Crounse, she was born February 16, 1922 in Albany, New York. She attended The Albany Academy for Girls and graduated from Wheaton College in 1944. While working at a Boston bank, Dorothy met law student George Bullard Lauriat, whose family operated Lauriat's Book Stores. Dorothy and George were married in 1947 and then moved to Southwest Harbor, Maine, where George had been stationed in the Coast Guard during World War II. George established a law practice on Mount Desert Island; Dorothy became an energetic mother whose four children remember her love for family outings at the shore, creative toys and excellent literature.

After George's untimely passing in 1970, Dorothy worked in Southwest Harbor's tax assessor office and volunteered many hours at St. John's Episcopal Church. She was known for her keen intellect and zest for learning. She amassed impressive collections of literature on diverse subjects, and often invited Islanders to her home to discuss her latest interests.

Dorothy is pre-deceased by her parents, older sisters Jessie and Ruth and her husband George. She is survived by sister Judith Crounse Mordkoff of Storrs CT; son Cyrus Lauriat of Boothbay, son George B. (Jed) Lauriat, Jr. and Patricia Johnson of Ellsworth, daughter Cynthia Lauriat Vaughan and Lawrence Vaughan of Levant, and son Phillips (Miff) Lauriat and Marjory Russakoff of Southwest Harbor. She is also survived by two nieces, three nephews, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Arrangements for a celebration of life to be announced.

Donations in Dorothy's memory may be sent to The Albany Academies, 135 Albany Rd, Albany NY 12208.