Published in the September 14, 2018 edition
LARGO, Fla. — Dorothy “Dot” Symmes, 90, of the Palm Hill Community of Largo, Florida passed away very peacefully on Saturday, December 2, 2017 while under the care of hospice. Dot was born in Lynn, Massachusetts and grew up on Warwick Road in Melrose. The beloved daughter of Forrest C. Symmes and Mary Vincent Murphy “Mae” Symmes. Dot attended local schools and graduated from Melrose High in 1947. She was a lover of horses and trained and rode for many years as a teenager. She won many blue ribbons. She worked much of her adult life at Union Mutual Insurance Company before retiring to Florida in the 1970’s. Dot loved watching college football and also enjoyed golf as she got older. She achieved two holes in one on the golf course after reaching the age of 80.
Dot will be missed dearly by her family and friends. Lord knows she had more friends than she could count. Dot was kind of the unwritten Mayor of the Palm Hill Community. She loved her role as the Mayor and always enjoyed helping others out. Dot leaves behind a sister Phyllis Symmes Cogger of Eliot, Maine; nephews Doug Cogger of Eliot, Maine, Scott and Robin Cogger of Cape Neddick, Maine; niece Cheryl Cogger of Damariscotta, Maine. Dot was also the great aunt to Jackson and Madigan Cogger of Cape Neddick, Maine, and Scott Gray and Megan Verney of Alna, Maine, nephew Trippy Symmes and his family of South Windsor, Connecticut, nephew Stephen Symmes of Hyannis, Mass., niece Nancy Symmes of Beverly, Mass., niece Jackie and Sal Russo of Salisbury Beach, Mass., niece Jody Mortsell and her husband of Andover, Mass. She was pre-deceased by her older brother, Cliff.
Dot also leaves behind hundreds, maybe thousands, of friends in the Largo, Florida area where she lived for over 40 years. Dot lived a great life. She was a person of action and was busy right up until the onset of her recent illness. Dot loved people, drove “us people” crazy at times, but that was who she was. We would also like to thank all of Dot’s friends at Palm Hill for keeping an eye on her for all of these years. And of course, a special thank you to all of her friends at E & E, her favorite hangout in Belleair Bluffs. Next time you’re at E & E ask for Dot’s table and have a toast to her. I think it goes something like “here is to looking up your address” cling, cling….
There will be a short graveside service for Dot at the Puritan Lawn Cemetery in Peabody, Mass. on Saturday, September 22 at noon. Dot will be missed by many. But you can bet she is on the go and will still stopping by for her cold beer, Bloody Mary, etc., …leave an extra seat open.
