John Bligh
- Paraprofessional
Dorothy Moller, a devoted paraprofessional who loved her work and was loved in return by the medically fragile students she served at PS 37 on Staten Island, died on Sept. 2, 2025, following a heart attack. She was 67.
“This came as a shock and was really upsetting to us all,” said teacher Leah Volpe, who had just worked with Dorothy, known to all as Dorrie, over the summer session.
Dorrie, who called PS 37 “a second home” for nearly 30 years, brought boundless energy, humor and compassion to her work and showed goodwill and generosity toward her colleagues.
“Whether you were new to our school or had worked here for many years, seeing Dorrie rushing through the halls was a welcome sight,” said paraprofessional Donna Stevens. “She was a dedicated paraprofessional who took great pride in a job well done. PS 37 was a second home — a place to work, see friends, celebrate milestones, share a pizza and a smile.”
“You could always rely on Dorrie,” Volpe said. “Anything you needed, she would get it done. She was able to teach me things as well; she had insights based on her years and would give me extra ideas.”
“Dorrie was very caring; she was like a mother to her students,” Chapter Leader LoriAnn Infante said.
“The kids liked being around her,” Volpe added. “She had a warmness about her, a grandma feeling. They felt someone cared for them, she would make them feel supported.”
“The students loved her,” agreed Karen D’Amico, a retired paraprofessional and close friend who worked with Dorrie for many years. “She was very generous and took her job seriously. She made a tremendous difference in the lives of her students.”
“Dorrie was a special person. We hit it off, we just clicked and she was so good to me,” D’Amico said. When D’Amico had surgery and was out of sick days, Dorrie “put days into my sick bank so I wouldn’t lose salary. Who does that?”
Dorrie had been planning to retire this year, as she reached her 30th year at PS 37. “She wanted to travel, and Hawaii was going to be her first stop,” said Infante.
Dorrie also was close to her family, including her mother, Dagny, who predeceased her. Dorrie is survived by her brother James, of Arizona; her aunt and uncle Lise and Norman of Norway; and cousins in Norway, Canada, New York and Florida.
Her two much-beloved Yorkshire terriers were adopted by a family so they can stay together.
“We will forever miss Dorrie; her devotion, her laughter and her friendship. She is always in our hearts,” wrote Stevens, in a tribute shared with the school community.
A well-attended memorial was held at Christ Lutheran Church on Staten Island on Oct. 29, 2025.
It was a pleasure working with Dorrie. She made this past summer a lot of fun. Res in peace Dorrie
I was fortunate enough to work closely with Dorrie in the classroom for a few years as well knowing her personally for 15 years working at the same school. The article hits on who Dorrie was. She was a dedicated, hard working, and was loved.
For me, I loved Dorrie’s sense of humor. Everyday, I enjoyed going into the classroom to work with Dorrie. She always made me laugh and made the days fun.
Dorrie, you will be missed but I will always remember chocolate/pepsi. ❤️
Thank you, Dottie for loving our children all these years. You were and are our angel❤️