Obituary of Dorothy M. Gundlach

WESTFIELD - Dorothy M. Gundlach, age 92, of 37 West Avenue, Westfield died Monday, August 16, 2010 Home following an extended illness. Dorothy was born on the family farm, Harvest View Farm, on West Main Road in Fredonia, NY on October 14, 1917 a daughter of the late Herbert J. and Mabel (Goate) Gouinlock. She was an honor graduate of Fredonia High School class of 1934, at age 16, and Dunkirk Business Institute at age 19 in 1936. She had been employed by the Buffalo and Erie Coach Corp. (West Ridge Transportation) in the Fredonia office until 1946. During this time she took flying lessons at the Dunkirk Airport and also word as a Nurse's Aide at Brooks Memorial Hospital. She then went to work in the offices of General Electric in Building 17, commuting from Westfield to Erie until 1952. In Westfield, Dorothy was employed by the former Grand Theater and in the Insurance Offices of Richard Davies, Sr., and at the Ottaway Agency. She retired from the NYS Thruway Authority in November of 1991 at age 74. She enjoyed flying, reading, playing bingo, working with word puzzles, watching pro football and golf, especially the Buffalo Bills and Tiger Woods. She also enjoyed the great outdoors and nature. She spent her later years at home tending to her yard and caring for and watching the many birds that frequented her property. She was a former member of the Westfield United Methodist Church and the Wesleyan Service Guild, having served as President. She had been a member of the Westfield Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the Hospital Foundation. Mrs. Gundlach was a member of John W. Rogers Post 327 American Legion Auxiliary, Women of the Moose Chapter 517 and the Wm. P Jackway Post 6764 VFW Auxiliary, all of Westfield. She is survived by her two daughters: Sharon L. (Glenn) Parker of Lehigh Acres, FL, and Susan K. Coe of Barefoot Bay, FL, and her three Step- Grandchildren, Patti and her Son, Luke Mitchell of Lehigh Acres, Brenda Parker of Westfield, and Victor Parker of Jamestown, NY. Several Great Grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive. Dorothy was preceded in death by her three sisters, Helen Aldrich, Marjorie Ingham, and Lucy Neil, her four brothers, Herbert and William Gouinlock, and Walter and Richard Woods, as well as by her two nieces, Helen Habich and Barbara Aldrich. At Dorothy's request, no calling hours will be observed and Funeral Services will be private. Memorials may be made to Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation, 189 East Main Street, Westfield, NY 14787 or to the Patterson Library, 40 So. Portage Street, Westfield, NY 14787. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the MASON FUNERAL HOME, 37 Clinton St., Westfield, NY. Log on to www.masonfuneral.com to send Dorothy's family a message of sympathy.