Obituary of Mary Allan Jane Dommermuth

Mary Jane Dommermuth (93) passed away surrounded by family members on Saturday, October 30, 2021, under hospice care at Heritage Oaks in Englewood, Florida - her home for five years. Mary was born July 12, 1928 in East Aurora, NY. In 1948 she earned her Registered Nurse's degree from Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Lackawanna. After marrying George Russell (Gus ) in 1949 and moving to Hamburg, NY, she began a long career of raising her five children. Moving to Valparaiso, Indiana in 1964, she joined the Visiting Nurses program, traveling long distances to help her patients. She also became licensed in the dialysis program. She was involved in the Girl Scouts with her daughters. She was also actively involved with St. Andrews Episcopal Church. Her children have many memories of Sunday School attendance there. After her children left home, she started on the next chapters of her life, mostly involving world travel and birding. With her husband and friends, she visited over 20 countries and all of the states. She was always active in retirement and never stopped learning. Moving to Englewood after retirement, she bought her father's home on Punta Nova and started growing orchids and joined the Venice Orchid Society. She enjoyed playing golf at Myakka Pines, playing bridge, still traveling, doing turtle patrol on the beach, volunteering at Cedar Point Park, joining genealogy classes and compiling an extensive family history. She also became actively involved with the altar guild and other programs at St. David's Episcopal Church in Englewood. She loved Englewood and its history. Meanwhile, she continued birding A LOT with the Audubon and informal groups. She birded in China, Ireland, Egypt, Mexico, Bolivia, all the hot spots in Alaska, California and Florida and the rest of America and Central America. Her regret was not being able to visit the Amazon River to bird. She instilled a love of birding in several of her children. In 2014, she and Gus celebrated 65 years of marriage with family and friends at the Gulf View on Englewood Beach. Gus predeceased her in 2015. She is survived by her five children: Edna Mae Van Dorsten (Neal), George William, Russell Alan (Julia), Michael John, and Jill Ann Richards. Grandchildren: Kara Sullivan (Michael), Christopher Brady (Shelley), Joshua (Jennifer), Amanda Sherman (Mark), Tara Ann Doll (Kenneth), Caitlin Mae Landis (Ryan), Emily Holliday, William Ketter (Karsten), Brett Stevenson Richards (Hayley) and Abby Grace Richards. Great Grandchildren: Will Finn and Erin Rose Sullivan, Katherine Denise (Cary), Lukas and Isaak Sherman, Ethan Benjamin, Wyatt Kenneth and Ella Mae Doll and Liam Landis. Services for family and friends will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at St. David's Episcopal Church, 801 Broadway, Englewood. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's name to Tidewell Hospice who made sure she was comfortable in her last days.