Dorothy Reinke,103

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. —  Dorothy passed away peacefully in her home at Sweetwood, Williamstown, MA, on April 7th. Family members, her Rector, caregivers, Hospice nurse and Chaplain had gathered to give her love, support and reassurance. At 103, she had lived a full life. Dorothy/Mom/Dodie/Dot/Peter was born December 10, 1919, raised, married twice lived and died in Williamstown, Mass. She had wealth of history and stories she loved to share. Until the very end she remained in remarkably good health, bright, articulate, interested, empathetic and supportive. When others forgot names, specific events, history lore, important dates, it was always “Ask Mom.”

parents both emigrated from Great Britain. Her father, an accomplished horseman, instructed society families in riding and driving. “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man,” he told her. Her mother was a governess instilling social graces in her charges. “Always wear some white around your face.” Dorothy wore a pearl necklace to the end of her days. Her parents met at an estate ball for Staff, settled in Williamstown and raised three children. With no extended family, Dorothy developed an appreciation for family ties which she nurtured throughout her life. A lovely child with a winsome personality, a love of books and learning, she also had a tom boy side astride one of her Dad’s horses or eagerly filling in when her older athletic brother (Bud, “Tank”) needed another body for touch football or a game of tennis. She graduated from Williamstown High School in 1937 and on a scholarship from Wellesley College in 1941 with majors in French and Italian. These were the war years. She was unable to spend her senior year abroad in Paris (which she made up, years later, with travels and as a member of a French book club, rewriting in French a happier ending to “The Elegance of the Hedgehog”). She headed to New York City with its theatres and art museums and young men off to or returning from war and became the secretary to the president Jack I. Straus at R. H Macy Company.

In the meantime, a young serviceman from Williamstown headed off to train air force pilots, earnestly pursued her. On February 13, 1943 she married Robert C. Sprague Jr. A woman of many interests and talents and often called on for them, she devoted herself to raising their son and daughter and managing a household and husband’s career along with diverse family interests – aviation (for her, always white knuckle take offs and landings), skiing, tennis, swimming, golf, horses and horse shows, dogs and cats, entertaining friends and business associates, serving up chocolate cookies and ginger ale for neighborhood children, family holiday gatherings, Sunday church, summer at Cape Cod, summer theatre, debutant balls, international travels including a world tour in 1962. She served on the Civil Air Patrol, campaigned for Eisenhower. She often acted as hostess for her father-in-law, RC of Sprague Electric Company in North Adams, stepped in as RC’s secretary during his appointment in 1953 by President Eisenhower as Under Secretary to the Air Force. She was President of the Garden Club. Gardening, reading, classical music, and art were reserved for her own moments. She reluctantly saw her children off to boarding school (cheered her son as cox of the winning crew, held her breath as her daughter took fences over hunt courses), then onto college (a son’s aviation career, a daughter’s passion for theatre and dance) and into the world. “If I am doing my job as a Mom, I will be phasing myself out of a job.” Phasing, time and distance, she and Bob divorced April 1968.

During a period of adjustment she married James W. Schmidt April 1969 and lived in Ridgewood, NJ and worked for The Innovation Group in New York City. They divorced in 1973. On encouragement from her sister, Vivian Barry, she moved to Milford, NH, where she briefly managed a real estate office.

Then a call came from Williams College which was establishing a Graduate Program in the History of Art at the Clark Museum. She was hired as the Assistant to the Director in 1973, retired 1986. Managing, working with students and a supportive staff, stimulated by the world of art and education she thrived. She also found solace, faith, and community in Saint John’s Episcopal Church and its outreach as well as the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life.

November 13, 1975 she married E. John Reinke. They melded their two families of 3 sons and 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren. Family gatherings for holidays with champagne toasts, visits to both sides of their families, trips to Great Britain to reconnect with Welsh and English branches of their families, tours to Europe with family in tow, drives around the country visiting friends and relatives, a diligent diarist for posterity. Summer theatre tickets to Williamstown Theatre Festival since its founding, Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, NYC Ballet at SPAC, Vermont’s Dorset Theatre Festival and Weston Theatre Company and devoted audience for any family member in performance. She remembered family and friends’ birthdays, holidays, occasions with cards and gifts, visits and telephone calls. In addition to Saint John Episcopal Church she also was a member of Wellesley-in-the-Berkshires, Taconic Golf Club, Williams College Faculty Club, International Churchill Society, Chairman of Williamstown Council on Aging, Vice President of Williamstown Elderly Housing Proprietors’ Fields, and Williamstown House of Local History, Williams Quarterback Club, Mass MoCA, the Clark.

In 2014, John at 98 predeceased her. The years that followed remained focused on family and her Church, continued interest in her various memberships though her activity and travels lessened, reading, Masterpiece Theatre, an Irish Terrier asleep on her bed, and a weekly trip to McDonalds’ for hamburger, small fries and diet coke. Most of all, in the words of others, she remained a beautiful classy lady, kind soul and thoughtful of others, intelligent, capable, organized, good natured, always attired in gorgeous colors (turquoise her favorite), a smile that brightened the day, a woman of grace, a “Pearl”.

Dorothy was predeceased by her sister Vivian Wilson Barry (2000) brother Francis “Tank” Wilson (2009) of Williamstown, MA. She is survived by daughter, Diana Sprague Stugger (Walter deceased 2018), of Manchester, VT; son Robert C. Sprague III (Ann) of Frisco, Texas; stepson Karl Reinke of Watertown, MA; stepdaughter Johanna Reinke of Kennebunk, ME; stepson Peter Reinke (Sandy) of Vernon, CT. Grandchildren are Suzanne Sprague Trammell (Jack) of Dallas, Texas; Sara Sprague Murphrey (Brandon) of Dallas, Texas; Robert C. Sprague IV (Rachael) of Plano, Texas; Diana “Connor” Sprague Johnson (John Mark) of Melissa, Texas. Step grandchildren are Michelle Neblett (Ron) of Arlington, VA and Kristin MacLaughlan (Tom) of Brookline, MA. Great grandchildren are Evelyn Rose Trammell , Bowen Murphrey and Hudson Murphrey . Her brother’s and sister’s children are nieces Amy Coldiron and Dana Wilson; nephews Charles “Chuck” Barry and Gary Wilson. Step great grandchildren are Thomas MacLaughlin, Caroline MacLaughlin and William Neblett.

A private family celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held on August 15th. Memorial donations can be made to Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Williamstown, MA, Hospicecare of the Berkshires or to a preferred health, child or animal cause or group in care of the FLYNN & DAGNOLI-MONTAGNA HOME FOR FUNERALS, WEST CHAPELS, 521 West Main St. North Adams, MA 01247. To add to the Book of Memories, please visit www.flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com