Dorothy Lockhart Erb Giustra, 93, of Camden, passed away Oct. 5 at Anderson Inn in Camden. Born on March 13, 1916 in Allentown, Penn., she was raised and schooled in nearby Eastern Pennsylvania as part of a Pennsylvania Dutch (German) family. She was one of three sisters and two brothers from the marriage of Wilson R. and Laura Derr Erb. At the age of 18 Dorothy enrolled in the Long Island College School of Nursing in downtown Brooklyn, New York receiving her RN degree in 1936. While in nursing she met a dashing pediatric physician resident some ten years her senior, whom she said she was some day going to marry. In those days physicians and nurses in training were forbidden to fraternize. Meeting secretly as often as possible, their romance flourished and she and Dr. Frank X. Giustra were married on June 27, 1936.
The newly married couple moved to the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, N.Y. to raise their family. Dorothy easily assimilated in the Brooklyn Italian culture and became the quintessential and fully dedicated wife and mother.
Dorothy was the oldest alumnus of Long Island College of Nursing in Brooklyn, N.Y. Dr. Giustra and Dorothy moved to Camden with their two youngest children in 1972. She moved to Quarry Hill after her husband’s death. Almost every evening she would enjoy “happy hour” with her oldest sons partaking of Prosecco or champagne with her favorite mozzarella.
Dorothy was born a Lutheran but raised all of her children Roman Catholic. She converted to Catholicism while her two oldest sons were at Union College and was a faithful and practicing Catholic for the remainder of her life. She was a communicant of Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church in Camden.
She was predeceased by her husband, Frank X. Giustra, Sr. of 63 years, and her daughter, Dorothy Fullerton.
Dorothy is survived by her children Frank Giustra, Jr. and wife Carolyn of Waldoboro, Peter Giustra and wife Betsy of Warren, Richard Giustra and wife Karen of Brunswick, Mary Louise Scardapane and husband Joseph of Seattle, Wash., Robert Giustra and wife Jeanne of Palmer Lake, Col., Donna Appel and husband Matthew of Frisco, Tex., Dennis Giustra and wife Claudia of Middleton, Mass., and Michael Giustra of Albuquerque, N.M; son-in-law, Robert Fullerton of Pennsylvania; 23 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and sister, Arlene O’Malley of Clinton, Mass.
Hour of visitation 1 p.m., followed by a service at 2 p.m., Sat., Oct. 10 at the Long Funeral Home, 9 Mountain St., Camden. Funeral mass 10 a.m., Tues., Oct. 13 at Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church with the Rev. Mark Reinhardt officiating. Burial will follow in the Mountain View Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to the Rockland Salvation Army, 27 Payne Ave., Rockland, ME 04841.