1916 – 2003

KENNEBUNK – Dorothy Ellen Morissette, 87, a resident of Bradford Court at Huntington Common died on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at Bradford Court.

She was born on April 25, 1916, in Portland, Ore., the daughter of William Henry and Eva (Morris) Adams. She attended Portland (Oregon) schools. She was the first woman in her family to graduate from college, graduating from the University of Oregon in Eugene in 1937.

After graduation, she moved to Boston to attend Simmons College School of Social Work where she received her Masters Degree in Social Work in 1939. She was always adventurous and loved to travel.

Her first job after graduate school was at Yale/New Haven Hospital as a medical social worker. She met her husband Russell Morissette there while he was in medical school at Yale. After he finished his training and served in Japan during World War II, they settled in Auburn, in 1949 and he set up pediatric practice in Lewiston.

She was the mother of four children. She enjoyed her children and was a good mother. A resident of Lewston-Auburn for 46 years she was a tireless volunteer and community service worker. She was instrumental in getting a Head Start program started in Lewiston and Auburn.

Her interest in handicapped children led her to volunteer work on several boards. In 1975, those boards merged to become Pathways, Inc. She was a part of the American Association of University Women’s Doorways to the Future, a job-shadowing program for eighth graders in Lewiston and Auburn. She helped to establish Androsscogin Home Health Program in Lewiston.

She also held several social work positions, including consultant for the Crippled Children’s Services at the Department of Human Services in Augusta, and Child and Family Services in Lewiston. She set up the Social Work Department at St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston and worked there as director of social work for 20 years.

In 1997 she moved to Kennebunk to be close to her daughter.

She is survived by her brother, Dr. Raymond Adams of Brookline, Mass.: daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Dennis Anderson of Kennebunk, daughter and son-in-law, Claire and Jim Hinkle of Golden, Colo.; three grandsons, Jason Spaulding, Tim Hinkle and Matt Anderson; three granddaughters, Heidi Hahn Tymkew, Tami Hahn Musfeldt, and Heather Hahn Hahn Schneider; and one great-grandson, Kyle James Tymkew.

She was predeceased by her sons, Russell and David.