Her teenage years were consumed by World War II. She shared many stories of the nightly bombings and blackout periods, city children sent out to the countryside for their safety and very stringent food rationing. In England during the war, women who had reached their 18th birthday had a choice of working on a farm or working in a factory manufacturing ammunition. Dorothy chose to make cardboard and wax shell casings.
Dorothy married Cyril John Wills from Castle Pollard, Ireland on July 26th, 1947 in Liverpool, England. She followed her husband to Toronto, Canada and then on to the United States with the hope of making a better life. She left behind her mother, sisters and brother.
Dorothy was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her sisters, Margaret (Ken) Shobbrook, Doreen Croft and brother William Aldersey.
Dorothy retired from McCurdy’s in Rochester after 12 years of service as a consultant in the drapery department. She was an active member of the Transatlantic Brides Association. After moving to Batavia she volunteered in the gift shop at UMMC. She was an accomplished knitter and made many hats for babies born at UMMC. She made a super apple pie and enjoyed spending time with her great grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter, Lesley (Edmund) Kosiorek of Batavia; two grandsons, Casey (Debra) Kosiorek of LeRoy and their children, Katherine, Matthew and John and Joseph (Samantha) Kosiorek of Fairport and their children, Ella and Abigail; a son, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired USAF) Russell Wills of Mary Esther, Florida and a grandson, Derek Wills of Ogden, Utah and a granddaughter, Wendy (Kurt) Vinhage of University Park, Pennsylvania; a brother in law, Ken Croft of Liverpool, England and a nephew, Michael Croft of London, England.
Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 29th at 12:00 p.m. at the Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home, 308 East Main Street, Batavia. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 101 John James Audubon Parkway West, Amherst, New York 14228. Please leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
