Obituary for Clarise C. Doolittle
Clarise Clinton Doolittle died peacefully on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Born in 1928, predeceased by husband Raymond and son Ridgely, Clarise is survived by her brother Richard Clinton, son Russell Doolittle (wife Gail), daughter Randeane Tetu (husband John) and granddaughters Kathi Schapp, Krista Petry, and Emrys Tetu.
Clarise is known for the distinctive hats she wore and for selling hats and handbags behind the counter at Mertz Department Store. A charter member of Berkshire Chapter Sweet Adelines, she sang in two quartets, The Powder Puffs and The Travel Tones. She wanted us to remember that she sang at Carnegie Hall. A lifelong member of First Congregational Church in West Torrington, she sang in the choir, served at chicken pie suppers, helped with quilting projects, and knitted hats for the church to distribute to local charities. At Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, she is remembered for her 30 years (more than 5,000 hours) of volunteer service, for her Halloween costumes, and for her Santa Claus Christmas visits.
She thanks those who cared for her at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, at Litchfield Woods, and at Wolcott Hall during her stays and recoveries. She thanks her church family and friends for their attentions. Health safety precautions in place since March of this year restricted her weekly good-will visits to friends at Wolcott Hall and Litchfield Woods, but Clarise kept caring for and about others. The hymn she requested at such time as a memorial service becomes possible is “Make Me a Blessing to Someone Today.”
Clarise is known for the distinctive hats she wore and for selling hats and handbags behind the counter at Mertz Department Store. A charter member of Berkshire Chapter Sweet Adelines, she sang in two quartets, The Powder Puffs and The Travel Tones. She wanted us to remember that she sang at Carnegie Hall. A lifelong member of First Congregational Church in West Torrington, she sang in the choir, served at chicken pie suppers, helped with quilting projects, and knitted hats for the church to distribute to local charities. At Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, she is remembered for her 30 years (more than 5,000 hours) of volunteer service, for her Halloween costumes, and for her Santa Claus Christmas visits.
She thanks those who cared for her at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, at Litchfield Woods, and at Wolcott Hall during her stays and recoveries. She thanks her church family and friends for their attentions. Health safety precautions in place since March of this year restricted her weekly good-will visits to friends at Wolcott Hall and Litchfield Woods, but Clarise kept caring for and about others. The hymn she requested at such time as a memorial service becomes possible is “Make Me a Blessing to Someone Today.”