Dorothy Congiusta

Dorothy Congiusta, 62, of Durham, NC (by way of New York, NY and Dublin, Ireland originally), passed away on July 3, 2025, surrounded by loved ones in the comfort of her home exactly as she wished. She left this world with grace, dignity, and a heart full of love for those lucky enough to know her.

Born on February 5, 1963, in Dublin, Dorothy was the daughter of Victor and Nancy Casserly. Dorothy is survived by husband Mark, daughters Aelex and Olivia, and son Matthew all of whom are devastated by their loss but grateful for the benefit of having been part of her life. She also grew up with 9 brothers and 5 sisters (not a typo) and leaves behind an astounding number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless admirers. She practiced kindness as her way of life and never met a stranger throughout the course of it.

She spent her life doing things with care and character, raising her loving family as a driving commitment to leaving the world a better place than the one she entered. Generosity is not a generous enough word to describe Dorothy. Those who benefitted from her altruism, support, and patience literally span the globe. Her capacity for goodness knew no bounds.

Dorothy loved to travel and saw an impressive amount of the world in life. She was independent to a degree most people can only aspire to and never waited for anyone to give her permission to do what she knew was right because her moral compass was unerring in its accuracy. She believed in her own (occasionally) quiet way that a good life is made up of small acts of kindness accentuated by a few good many laughs. The world is a little dimmer by her loss, but infinitely more colorful because of the impact of her life, so a huge win for us all in sum total.

Dorothy did not want a funeral; roomfuls of sad people did not interest her. Her remains will be returned to her country of birth and scattered in a meaningful place from her childhood near the sea later this summer. Suitable merriment and whimsical storytelling to immediately follow. And perhaps drinks.

A special thanks to the wonderful staff at Gentiva hospice who gave Dorothy so much care and kindness in her final days. Her family will never forget you. Please do not send anything to the family other than good thoughts. Instead, consider donating generously to the Defeat MSA Alliance https://defeatmsa.org/ in Dorothy's name. She would take great pleasure in knowing that her memory contributed to the fight against this heartless disease.

We will miss Dorothy dearly, but we'll carry her spirit with us in the stories we tell, the lessons we remember, and the love we continue to share. Exactly as she wanted.