OWLS HEAD — Dorothy (Dot) G. Rausch passed away on December 4, 2018 after a period of declining health.

Dorothy was born in Morristown, NJ, on September 28, 1927, to David and Charlotte Malone. She grew up in Cedar Knolls, NJ. After graduating from high school, she started working for Sears Roebuck where she met her soul mate, John (Jack) Rausch.

Jack soon found out that candy was the way to her heart so he would often drop by her desk and deliver a piece of chocolate. During their courtship, Dot helped Jack obtain his Ph.D. by typing his thesis, which was a long, tedious, and vital job.

They were married on March 27, 1948 and lived for a time in Madison, N.J. where Dot worked for Drew University. After the birth of their first child, the couple relocated to Basking Ridge, N.J. where they raised their five children.

The family vacationed in Maine almost every summer and Jack and Dot always hoped to retire there. In 1977, they made the first step toward that when they bought the Strawberry Hill Motor Court in Rockport. Dot worked tirelessly to make sure the motel was a warm and welcoming place. They sold Strawberry Hill in 1984, making the retirement dream a reality and moved to Owls Head.

Upon moving to Owls Head, Dot realized that she had a real talent and love for oil painting, and started displaying and selling her work at craft shows, including the Maine Lobster Festival. She also loved knitting and joined the ‘Knit Wits’, donating many hats for the less privileged.

Dot was predeceased by her husband in 2003 and a daughter Diane C. Rausch in 2001.

She is survived by her children, Jon (Martha) Rausch of Rowley, MA, Gail Rausch of Owls Head, Karl (Sharon) Rausch of Bar Mills, and Nancy (James) Lovett of Rockland; her grandchildren, Thomas Morgan, Edward Morgan, Emma Rausch, Hannah Rausch, Drew (Shannon) Rausch, Aidan Rausch, Ava Rausch, Jenna (Jeremy) Gray, Peter (Mishale) Lovett, Sarah (Russell) Wood, and three great-grandchildren.

She was also a devoted Mom to two Chihuahuas that she took in as rescue dogs. They brought one another great comfort in Dot's later years.

A service will be held at 1:00 p.m, Monday, December 17, 2018 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, or the Bob Gagnon Cancer Fund, c/o Pen Bay Healthcare, 22 White Street, Rockland, Maine 04841.

To share a memory or condolence with the Rausch family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.