Dorothy K. "Connelly" Little

Dorothy Kathleen (Connelly) Little, 93, affectionately known as Nana, passed at her home in Manchester, NH on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones.

Born April 11, 1932, in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Daniel W. and Alice M. (Pszenny) Connelly. She was sister to Daniel, David, Kathleen Connelly and Alice (Connelly) Tracchia. She attended primary school in Peabody and later went onto Salem High School and then to Salem Commercial/Secretarial School. She met and then married Philip M. Little on August 16, 1952, at the Polish American Club and shared 60 years of marriage before Philip's passing in 2012.

Dorothy enjoyed employment with Sylvania, Sears Roebuck in Salem, a Pickering School lunch aid, however her favorite job was as a telephone operator for New England Telephone in Salem; she later retired from NYNEX in Lynn/Middleton.

Dorthy remained close to Salem throughout her life living down on Rainbow Terrace when she started her family and then moving to North Salem to raise them. In her retirement years, she could be seen down at Salem Willows on Collins Cove boasting "Every day feels like a vacation!" She got to be close to her beloved sisters Alice and Kathy in Peabody, and later moving to Manchester, NH with her "bossy" daughter, Suzanne.

Dorothy enjoyed shopping, sending handwritten cards to her friends and family, sitting in the sun with her buddy, Finn, spending time with "her littles" and enjoying a meal with her sisters and friends at Family Fare with Ida and the girls. She was THE #1 Boston Celtics fan, having never missed a televised game. Above all, she was an excited and enthusiastic supporter of the Pentucket Panthers football team featuring her grandson and co-captain, Nick along with his sister and cheerleader, Nadia.

Dorothy was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and champion of the family and will be deeply missed.

Dorothy is survived by her children: Daniel Little and partner Lisa Hanson of Newton, NH; James Little and his wife Mary (Byrnes) Little of Beverly; Suzanne (Little) Hashem and her husband John Hashem of Manchester, NH; Kevin Little and his wife Rachel (Krawczyk) of Salem, MA; 8 Grandchildren: Shannon Pinkham, Douglas Little, Jillian O'Brien, Katheleen, Anthony, and Jason Hashem, Alyson and Jake Little; 11 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Alice Tracchia and Kathleen Connelly as well as her sister-in-law Lorraine Connelly. Also survived by many nieces and nephews, pets Finny and Casey. Honorable mentions to Judith (Clocher) Little, longtime and amazing friend Carol Prada, and the entire LeBel clan who claimed Dorothy as their own.

She is predeceased in death by her husband Philip M. Little, her son Philip D. Little, brothers David and Daniel Connelly, granddaughter Cassandra Little, and her beloved Newfie and companion, Noodles.

Visitation hours for Dorothy will be held on Thursday October 9, 2025, at Murphy Funeral Home from 4-8pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 10 at 10:00am at the Immaculate Conception Church, 15 Hawthorne Blvd, Salem. Interment will follow the Mass at St. Mary Cemetery, 226 North Street Salem, MA. For more information and online guestbook, please call the Murphy Funeral Home at 978-744-0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.

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