One of the cornerstones of the Morris Park community passed away on Sunday, March 25.
Dorothy Castro, 84, was a lifelong servant to the community and the family she loved most dearly.
Castro had been ill for a few years, but was surrounded by love and her family during her final days.
Her story was simple, yet filled with happiness, which is exactly the way her sons believe she passed on.
During her eight decades she worked as an assistant in a hospital, fell in love, got married, had children and grandchildren, got involved with her community association, and never once stopped devoting herself to her family and Morris Park.
“She was the best mom,” said John, Dorothy’s second oldest son. “I loved her very much and I’m gonna miss her.”
John, who now lives in New Rochelle, said after his father, Edward Sr. passed away in 1976, his mother focused all her attention on John and his two brothers, Edward Jr. and Roger.
“My fondest memory of her was her cooking,” he said.
“She always had a proper meal on the table for us and on Sunday we would always have macaroni and meatballs.”
In addition to her family, the Morris Park community and its wellbeing was something she committed herself to for more than three decades.
“Dorothy was a kind, generous, dedicated woman who was committed to Morris Park and the association,” said Tina Alessandro, the current secretary of the Morris Park Community Association.
Dorothy was one of the original members of the Morris Park Community Association and its patrol team and was perhaps one of the biggest advocates of Morris Park until her last breath.
Officially, she served as the organization’s secretary, but the position was merely a title and her work in the community was far more important.
“She knew everybody,” said current MPCA president, Al D’angelo. “She knew who to call when there was a problem and had her hands on everything that went on in the neighborhood.”
“All you had to do was mention a problem to Dorothy and she would know who to get in touch with to solve it,” continued D’Angelo, who explained Castro had a strong rapport with almost every elected official and civic or social group that was connected to the neighborhood.
“She always made sure that seniors in the community were taken care of and had a strong advocate,” said Senator Jeff Klein, who said he had worked with Dorothy on a number of Morris Park-related issues over the years.
“Dorothy was the glue that kept the Morris Park Community Association together and she will be dearly missed,” continued Klein.
In many ways, the association became part of her family and her house was more than four walls and a roof, as she happily included the area between Sackett Avenue and Pelham Parkway as the boundaries of what she called ‘home’.
Though Castro left her position as secretary of the association a number of years ago, her legacy of service and love for her family lives on. Along with her three sons she is survived by seven grandchildren.
