Doris Winslow Hancock Jorgensen

JORGENSEN, Doris Winslow (Decker) (Hancock) 64, of Chelmsford, passed away on June 2, 2009, peacefully surrounded by her beloved family, having fought a brief but tenacious battle with cancer. Throughout her illness Doris never lost the dignity, immense courage or determination that so marked her remarkable and productive life. Doris was born in Gloucester a daughter of Edgar W. Decker and Corinne (Kane) Decker. Her father was a fisherman who was lost at sea when she was a young child. She graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and then went on to obtain her Master's degree at Boston State College in Elizabethan Literature. She had a lifelong commitment and love of learning and continued educational pursuits, including obtaining an additional Master's degree from Cambridge College in Interdisciplinary studies later in life. After beginning her career in the Cambridge Public Schools, she joined the faculty of the Hobbs Junior High/Middle School in Medford where she had an incredible career of over thirty-five years as both an Art and English teacher. As a talented artist herself she brought creativity to her English classes where she inspired thousands of students. Her classroom demeanor reflected her gentle nature. Her wisdom and patience made her an outstanding mentor to many young teachers that flourished under guidance and support. She was beloved by both faculty and students throughout her tenure. In 1992 Doris was chosen to represent Medford in a trip to Japan where she toured schools in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. She was particularly moved by her interview with a Hiroshima Survivor and integrated her experiences and observations into her classroom. In 1997 she and her academic team at the Hobbs were honored at Boston College for winning the prestigious Teacher Incentive Award from the Anti-Defamation League for their unique curriculum. This curriculum encompassed environmental, multicultural, historical, and diversity issues. She was fortunate to find great love and happiness in the last two years of her life and was a wonderful wife to Neil. Their love of the Boston Red Sox, the New York Times crossword puzzles, photography, and the preservation of the Middlesex Canal were commonalities along with their love of family. To all who knew her she was a precious jewel and her untimely passing can only be characterized by the Shakespearean quote that "death lies upon her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field". Doris is deeply mourned by her loving husband Neil, her daughter Amy Smith, wife of Bill and mother of Courtney, Taylor, and Meagan, her daughter Susan Oder, wife of Dr. Patrick Oder, mother of Alex and Ethan, and her sister, Janice wife of David Lustgarten. She will also be missed by her newest family members; Neil's son Matthew, husband of Erika Stewart and father of Lucas and Avery; his daughter Erica, wife of Brian Williamson and mother of Isobel and Finian; and his daughter Andrea Suh, wife of John and mother of Carsen and Ginger. A private memorial celebration will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Doris' name may be made to the Middlesex Canal Association, 71 Faulkner St., No. Billerica, MA 01862 or the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Arrangements by Blake Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., CHELMSFORD. Funeral Directors Richard P. Burkinshaw and Paul A. Hardy, Jr. www.blakefuneralhome.com.