IN MEMORIAM
Con Amor Marilyn Dori
Longtime faculty member Marilyn Dori passed away on December 17, 2018, after a lengthy illness. A Spanish teacher in GSB’s Upper School for almost 20 years, Marilyn touched the lives of countless students, alumni, parents and colleagues during her time at the school. Marilyn was born in Puerto Rico, and her family moved to the United States when she was a girl. Educated in both the US and Puerto Rico, she began teaching at Gill St. Bernard’s in 2000. She was named Assistant Dean before becoming Class Dean for the 12th Grade in 2015 when the school transitioned to having deans for each Upper School grade. In this role, she was particularly well known for the enthusiasm and care with which she threw herself into planning and implementing the senior prom each spring. “Marilyn was an absolute pleasure to work with,” offered Dean of Student Life David Pasquale. “As the 12th-Grade Dean, she was especially close with the seniors every year, but her passion and her ability to inspire students was not limited by age or grade. She was always generous with her time and wisdom, and she often provided a comforting shoulder to lean on for students and colleagues. She leaves a legacy at Gill that will be remembered for quite a long time.” In addition to organizing the prom each spring, Marilyn put together a semi-formal Homecoming dance in the fall and assisted with planning holiday and year-end parties in her role as faculty advisor to the on-campus social committee— a group she founded and ran. She also provided faculty members with social opportunities on campus, spearheading a faculty yoga group. A strong advocate for community service, Marilyn led several Spring Unit community service trips to Spanishspeaking countries: From Houses to Homes in Guatemala; volunteering in Peru at a home for students from indigenous families who had to leave their homes in order to continue their education; and volunteering at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. For close to a decade, she also facilitated a student exchange program with a school in Zaragoza, Spain. In the words of longtime colleague Spanish
teacher Brittany Casser, “Marilyn loved her job and her students tremendously. She attended sporting events, theater performances, school community events, and more.” Those remarks were echoed by Upper School Director Sue Petrone, who shared, “Marilyn was a dedicated, enthusiastic, and engaging teacher who really understood her students. She was able to help her students become stronger Spanish speakers, but also helped them to see how much she loved teaching and how much she loved them.” In the final months of her life, Marilyn returned to Puerto Rico, where she was surrounded by family, friends and the ocean that she loved. Those who were with her shared that she faced this last challenge of her life with characteristic grace, courage and humor. She is survived by her son Jonah Dori, her sister Nilda Gonzalez, and countless friends whom she considered family. A service of celebration for Marilyn’s life will be held at GSB on April 6, at 2:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts & Community Center. Donations in honor of Marilyn’s life may be made to the Marilyn Dori Unit Scholarship Fund at GSB. The Class of 2019 yearbook is dedicated to Marilyn. Alumnus Ben Hiramoto ’16 prepared the tribute, which Marilyn was able to see before she died.
RESPECTED FOR HER DIRECT AND HONEST APPROACH TO EVERYTHING, MARILYN WAS A CHERISHED TEACHER, COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND. HER LAUGHTER WAS SO JOYFUL, AND THE LOVE SHE HAD FOR OTHERS KNEW NO LIMITS. – SID ROWELL, HEAD OF SCHOOL
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