Dorothy A. Ney

Dorothy A. (Phillips) Ney, 95, passed away on June 10, 2021, at 12:57pm with her family surrounding her.  She lived and raised her children in Alliance, but was born in New Castle, PA to Zorka “Rose” (Rogish) Phillips and Thomas Theodore “Teddy” Phillips on July 21, 1925.

Her formative years in Aliquippa, PA gave her a respect for the steel industry, skilled workmanship and the broad cultural diversity of the immigrants who lived and worked there.  We were raised embracing mom’s Serbian roots, eating that amazing food, and laughing with our grandmother and Grandaddy John (John Lukac, Mom’s stepdad), her sister (Evelyn Malbasa), cousins, aunts, and uncles!   We can still smell the butter, garlic, sarma, gra i kupus, pita, kolac, apple and cherry pies!  We were a fortunate family because our life was so full of love, smells, conversation, and Aunt Evie and Rosalie’s laughter! There was a strong sense of family centered around independent, expressive women, and many simple events with big life impact!

Mom was a life-long dancer, and her love for different types of dance started with her exposure to kolas and polkas at the Serbian Club in Aliquippa.  Later she and our father met at a dance in Cleveland, Ohio. Legend has it that he had seen her in her nurse’s uniform at Wade Drug beforehand, and unbeknownst to her, planned to attend the nurse’s dance to meet her.  And she, unbeknownst to him, had taken certain notice of that dark-haired, handsome, tall drink-of-water in the doorway when he made his entrance!  They danced themselves right into 58 years of marriage, 6 children, 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.  We think all that moxie in Mom, that rhythm in her feet, that indomitable spirit gave her the strength to live fully right up to the last beautiful breath.  If all of us could be so lucky to live as she did.

Mom was a homemaker extraordinaire, creating warm, comforting spaces for her family, feeding us delicious homemade meals, making international foods and entertaining friends and family.  Mom was an RN, receiving that degree in 1947 from St. Francis School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, PA, briefly working as a staff nurse, in men’s medicine, in obstetrics from Pittsburgh to Cleveland to Alliance. Her love of the human body gave us a perspective of self-care and attention to health and wellness.  "Clean your plate! Eat foods from nature, move your body!"  She had many years as an active member and President of the League of Women Voters, (a constant in our lives as children) protecting the rights of women and, more broadly, voting rights for all people.  She spent a few years (1971-1974) as a diet instructor for the Conway Diet Institute, lecturing locally to help support women’s weight loss.

Our beautiful mom had an eye for fashion; indeed, she was a fashion maven and widely known for her glamour, flair, and individuality.  Her unique sense of style was formed as a child and a teenager. She was raised by a single mom in a mixed-race neighborhood, and witnessed elegant women of color parade feathers, sequins, and furs with high-heeled T-strap shoes, across the street from her mother’s store. They were “dressed to the nines,” mom would say when she described what she saw. We are sure she was influenced by them because late into her eighties, our mom would wear a turquoise raccoon fur coat, over a leotard, sporting red-suede high-heeled booties to a Yoga class (people still comment on that!).  She “overdressed” for almost every occasion; it was often what defined her as a woman, revealing her sense of fun and adventure.

Dorothy, or “Dottie” as she was affectionately called by friends and family members suffered a stroke on March 26, 2020, yet she persisted.  Although the stroke left our mom with exceedingly difficult problems, much of the vibrant, thoughtful woman she had been shone through.  Fortunately, her children were able to commune with her throughout 2020 and until her passage to the world of Spirit just days ago.

Many thanks to all of you in Alliance, who so kindly have said many thoughtful and loving things to us over the years and currently about our mom.  She is loved, she is missed…we are grateful.

The family would like to acknowledge, with our deepest gratitude, Mom’s caregivers, Kimberly Mitchell, Destiny Chapman, Destiny Colon, Kimberly (Pinkerton) Foche, Rebecca Ray, and Kendra Carpenter.

She will be remembered and deeply missed by her 6 children and their spouses, Drew (David) and Cheryl (Downey) Ney, Dominique (Ney) Nero and Mickey Manolescu, Michael and Lynn (Curley) Ney, Dorsey Ney and Gilbert Foster, Leslie (Ney) O’Neill, and Victori (Ney) Ribeiro, and her loving grandchildren and significant others Casey Bronzovic, Marshall Ney, Alissa Manolescu and Joel Crow, Kristina Manolescu and Michael Edwards, Emily Manolescu and Doug Pirie, Adara Ney and James Harper, Michelle Ney and Rylan Kortus, Melissa Ney, Richard Kindler and Jackie Picone, Alex and Abby (Aud) Kindler, Cimarron Ney-George and Phillip Allen, Nathan O’Neill and Liam O’Neill.  Dottie’s beautiful legacy continues with great grandchildren Keagan Kindler, Audrey Kindler, and Aiden Kindler.  Dottie was also held in great esteem by former spouses Jan Halen, Tim Nero, Hera Cole, Steve George, Anthony Kindler, Patrick O'Neill, Jim Green and Tamara Carpenter.

Dorothy is also survived by brother Jan Lukac, first cousins Boyd Rogish, Helen Rogish, Willabeth Brown, Callie (Brown) England, Ernestine (Denkovich) Kroskey, Mildred (Denkovich) Frye, Rosalie (Turkall) Cosentino, Karen Johnson, Kim (Johnson) Murray, Cookie and Melva Loverich (wives of beloved deceased Loverich cousins), and all descendants, including Karen (Cyanovich) Faris, and Don Mraovich.  Apologies if we have omitted anyone in our large extended family! Pre-deceased by Andrew Victor Ney (husband), Evelyn Malbasa (sister), her parents, Victori’s former spouse (William Ribeiro), many cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Funeral services were held privately for family members. The family is planning a memorial in her honor for later this year.

Mom’s incredible generosity extended to all her family and beyond. Both she and our dad were avid supporters of education, the arts, community organizations and environmental efforts.  They gave generously to the historic and beautiful B.F. Jones Memorial Library in Mom’s beloved Aliquippa. If you wish to donate in Mom’s name, please consider these two funds: Marlington Alumni Association, by mailing a donation to P.O. Box 2006, Alliance, Ohio 44601, or B.F. Jones Memorial Library, by mailing a donation to 663 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa, PA 15001, attention: Ann Andrews, Library Director.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, 75 South Union Ave. Alliance, Ohio 44601.