Submitted by Fran Olson Gustafson 1965 <fgustafson917@gmail.com>
on 11/Jun/2023
71.223.169.157
Doris Jean Croke Presutti, born at home on May 25, 1934 in
Patchogue, Long Island, NY, entered her eternal rest on
Friday, June 9, 2023 at home surrounded by her husband and
four children. Doris was a resident of Newburgh, NY for 85
years and recently of Milton, NH. The daughter of Margaret
Lilian Scully Croke and Edward T. Croke, she was predeceased
by her Mother and Father and brothers Roy C. Galewski Sr.,
Bernard "Sonny" Galewski and Edward Croke. Doris is survived
by her loving husband of 66 years, Donald R. Presutti, her
four children, Donald V. Presutti, his wife Robin Galage,
Joyce A. Presutti, her husband Ed Romanoff, Edward M.
Presutti, his wife Mary Carol Presutti, Jeanmarie Presutti,
her husband David O'Herron, Grandchildren, Donald V.
Presutti Jr., Jennifer Shebanie, Sam Galage, Jack Galage,
Elizabeth Colonna, her husband Roy Colonna, Great
Grandchildren, Dorian Farley, Alice Colonna, Molly Colonna,
Nephew Roy C. Galewski Jr., Vincent Presutti, and many
other, Croke, Galewski and Presutti nieces and nephews. All
who experienced the joy of knowing Doris, knew she lived a
life of goodness, faith, & devotion; to her family, to
God and to her friends & community. Doris was a 1948
graduate of St. Patrick's School in Newburgh, NY and
Graduated Newburgh Free Academy with the class of 1952.
After graduation, Doris attended and graduated as a
secretary from the Spencer Business School and took a job
with Central Hudson in Newburgh. On September 24, 1957,
Doris married the love of her life, Donald R. Presutti at
St. Mary's Church in Newburgh. After a year of hiking,
camping, boating and romantic dinners out, they started a
family and Doris took time off from her work life to raise
her four children. When it was time to return to work, Doris
turned to her passion for helping others and the medical
field. She took a job as Medical Administrative Assistant to
Family Physician, Dr. Wolfe and then Orthopedic Surgeon Dr.
Sadler, both with practices in Newburgh. She sought a new
adventure when she, together with her husband, opened Don's
Athletes and Dancer's Shoppe in the City of Newburgh. During
her time working at the store, Doris also served as Campaign
Manager for her husband who ran for and secured a seat on
the City of Newburgh City Council. Continuing the adventure
and because of her commitment to Newburgh, she again served
as her husband's Campaign Manager, helping him to win the
race for Mayor of the City of Newburgh, becoming the City's
First Lady, a role she cherished. Once her husband's terms
in office were over, Doris decided to continue her work with
the city by taking the position of Office Manager for the
City of Newburgh Building Inspectors Office. She worked for
over a decade with the office before deciding to return to
her passion for the medical field working with Montefiore
St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital greeting patients coming into
the Emergency Department. Doris finally retired in her late
70's to enjoy her children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren and to travel. Doris had a beautiful and
adventurous spirit, never missing a chance to try something
new. She enjoyed swimming and as a young woman belonged to
the Newburgh Aquatic Club. She was an active member of The
Catholic Daughters, Council #195, Court Patricia. With her
husband, who was one of the original founders of The Sloop
Clearwater with Pete Seeger, they could be found
participating in the many events, concerts and festivals
supporting the Sloop Clearwater on the banks of The Hudson
River. Doris enjoyed hosting dinners in the Presutti home
for the crew of the Clearwater. She always joined in when
guitars, banjos and concertinas would appear and the singing
of sea shanties commenced, the joyous sound and harmonies
could be heard throughout the house into the late hours of
the night. Doris's beautiful singing voice caught the ear of
Pete Seeger, and he asked her to sing with him in concert.
They took the stage one evening at Mount Saint Mary's
College and brought the house down. Doris would often speak
of this special night with great pride. A passionate
advocate of the arts, Doris spent many years on the Board of
Directors for Just Off Broadway, Inc. in Newburgh, NY. She
was lovingly referred to as Mama P. and could be found at
the theatre, sometimes late into the evening, volunteering
her time for all manner of tasks. Doris created an
atmosphere of love and acceptance to all who wished to
participate in the production company's many shows and
events. She even stepped into the bright lights on stage
occasionally to lend her sense of humor and beautiful
singing voice. Audiences will remember her as the White
Queen in Alice in Wonderland and as Bertha in Pippin.
Several years back, while sitting at the kitchen table over
a cup of tea with her daughter Joyce Anne going through a
long forgotten box of short stories, poems and songs written
by Doris's mother, the idea of a musical based on her
mother's work was born. Together with her daughters, Joyce
Anne and Jeanmarie and their collaborator and friend, Paul
Davis, Doris co-authored a new musical Pond Beyond the
Meadow. It received several readings and a fully staged
Workshop at The New Rose Theatre in Walden, NY under the
watchful eye of Sam Wright. It was always Doris' dream to
see a fully realized production, maybe someday, we will see
this beautiful story come to life. By her example, Doris
taught her children the true meaning of unconditional love
and acceptance. She could often be heard to say "It takes us
all to make a world". Her arms and heart were always open,
she welcomed anyone who needed a kind heart to listen and
was a good friend to those in need. Her laughter was
infectious, and she enjoyed hearing funny and exciting
stories from her children and their many friends. She always
enjoyed an Opening Night and the party that would follow.
She attended shows not only in her community, but across the
country, on Broadway, Off Broadway and in small towns where
she would travel to support her friends. Whether it was
lunch on TV trays in the back of a VW Bus eating Carolls
hamburgers, jumping in the car with the four kids to go for
ice cream at Clover Leaf Farms, traveling to Canada, Hawaii
and Ireland or just sitting at home with her family
reminiscing about days "up to camp", or Christmases long
past, Doris could lift the spirits of all those who had the
pleasure of being in her presence. To honor her beautiful
life, each day be kind, love without boundaries and offer
your hand to those in need. She will smile down from her
place in heaven and know her legacy will live forever.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 4:00 pm to
7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at White, Venuto and
Morrill Funeral and Cremation Service, 188 N. Plank Road,
Newburgh, NY 12550. A Mass of Christian Burial will be
celebrated, 10:30 am, Thursday, June 15, 2023 at St.
Patrick's Church, 55 Grand Street, Newburgh, NY 12550.
Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, New Windsor, NY. In
lieu of flowers, donations in Doris's memory may be made to
St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, which was her wish at
www.stjude.org
Doris Jean Croke Presutti, born at home on May 25, 1934 in
Patchogue, Long Island, NY, entered her eternal rest on
Friday, June 9, 2023 at home surrounded by her husband and
four children. Doris was a resident of Newburgh, NY for 85
years and recently of Milton, NH. The daughter of Margaret
Lilian Scully Croke and Edward T. Croke, she was predeceased
by her Mother and Father and brothers Roy C. Galewski Sr.,
Bernard "Sonny" Galewski and Edward Croke. Doris is survived
by her loving husband of 66 years, Donald R. Presutti, her
four children, Donald V. Presutti, his wife Robin Galage,
Joyce A. Presutti, her husband Ed Romanoff, Edward M.
Presutti, his wife Mary Carol Presutti, Jeanmarie Presutti,
her husband David O'Herron, Grandchildren, Donald V.
Presutti Jr., Jennifer Shebanie, Sam Galage, Jack Galage,
Elizabeth Colonna, her husband Roy Colonna, Great
Grandchildren, Dorian Farley, Alice Colonna, Molly Colonna,
Nephew Roy C. Galewski Jr., Vincent Presutti, and many
other, Croke, Galewski and Presutti nieces and nephews. All
who experienced the joy of knowing Doris, knew she lived a
life of goodness, faith, & devotion; to her family, to
God and to her friends & community. Doris was a 1948
graduate of St. Patrick's School in Newburgh, NY and
Graduated Newburgh Free Academy with the class of 1952.
After graduation, Doris attended and graduated as a
secretary from the Spencer Business School and took a job
with Central Hudson in Newburgh. On September 24, 1957,
Doris married the love of her life, Donald R. Presutti at
St. Mary's Church in Newburgh. After a year of hiking,
camping, boating and romantic dinners out, they started a
family and Doris took time off from her work life to raise
her four children. When it was time to return to work, Doris
turned to her passion for helping others and the medical
field. She took a job as Medical Administrative Assistant to
Family Physician, Dr. Wolfe and then Orthopedic Surgeon Dr.
Sadler, both with practices in Newburgh. She sought a new
adventure when she, together with her husband, opened Don's
Athletes and Dancer's Shoppe in the City of Newburgh. During
her time working at the store, Doris also served as Campaign
Manager for her husband who ran for and secured a seat on
the City of Newburgh City Council. Continuing the adventure
and because of her commitment to Newburgh, she again served
as her husband's Campaign Manager, helping him to win the
race for Mayor of the City of Newburgh, becoming the City's
First Lady, a role she cherished. Once her husband's terms
in office were over, Doris decided to continue her work with
the city by taking the position of Office Manager for the
City of Newburgh Building Inspectors Office. She worked for
over a decade with the office before deciding to return to
her passion for the medical field working with Montefiore
St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital greeting patients coming into
the Emergency Department. Doris finally retired in her late
70's to enjoy her children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren and to travel. Doris had a beautiful and
adventurous spirit, never missing a chance to try something
new. She enjoyed swimming and as a young woman belonged to
the Newburgh Aquatic Club. She was an active member of The
Catholic Daughters, Council #195, Court Patricia. With her
husband, who was one of the original founders of The Sloop
Clearwater with Pete Seeger, they could be found
participating in the many events, concerts and festivals
supporting the Sloop Clearwater on the banks of The Hudson
River. Doris enjoyed hosting dinners in the Presutti home
for the crew of the Clearwater. She always joined in when
guitars, banjos and concertinas would appear and the singing
of sea shanties commenced, the joyous sound and harmonies
could be heard throughout the house into the late hours of
the night. Doris's beautiful singing voice caught the ear of
Pete Seeger, and he asked her to sing with him in concert.
They took the stage one evening at Mount Saint Mary's
College and brought the house down. Doris would often speak
of this special night with great pride. A passionate
advocate of the arts, Doris spent many years on the Board of
Directors for Just Off Broadway, Inc. in Newburgh, NY. She
was lovingly referred to as Mama P. and could be found at
the theatre, sometimes late into the evening, volunteering
her time for all manner of tasks. Doris created an
atmosphere of love and acceptance to all who wished to
participate in the production company's many shows and
events. She even stepped into the bright lights on stage
occasionally to lend her sense of humor and beautiful
singing voice. Audiences will remember her as the White
Queen in Alice in Wonderland and as Bertha in Pippin.
Several years back, while sitting at the kitchen table over
a cup of tea with her daughter Joyce Anne going through a
long forgotten box of short stories, poems and songs written
by Doris's mother, the idea of a musical based on her
mother's work was born. Together with her daughters, Joyce
Anne and Jeanmarie and their collaborator and friend, Paul
Davis, Doris co-authored a new musical Pond Beyond the
Meadow. It received several readings and a fully staged
Workshop at The New Rose Theatre in Walden, NY under the
watchful eye of Sam Wright. It was always Doris' dream to
see a fully realized production, maybe someday, we will see
this beautiful story come to life. By her example, Doris
taught her children the true meaning of unconditional love
and acceptance. She could often be heard to say "It takes us
all to make a world". Her arms and heart were always open,
she welcomed anyone who needed a kind heart to listen and
was a good friend to those in need. Her laughter was
infectious, and she enjoyed hearing funny and exciting
stories from her children and their many friends. She always
enjoyed an Opening Night and the party that would follow.
She attended shows not only in her community, but across the
country, on Broadway, Off Broadway and in small towns where
she would travel to support her friends. Whether it was
lunch on TV trays in the back of a VW Bus eating Carolls
hamburgers, jumping in the car with the four kids to go for
ice cream at Clover Leaf Farms, traveling to Canada, Hawaii
and Ireland or just sitting at home with her family
reminiscing about days "up to camp", or Christmases long
past, Doris could lift the spirits of all those who had the
pleasure of being in her presence. To honor her beautiful
life, each day be kind, love without boundaries and offer
your hand to those in need. She will smile down from her
place in heaven and know her legacy will live forever.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 4:00 pm to
7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at White, Venuto and
Morrill Funeral and Cremation Service, 188 N. Plank Road,
Newburgh, NY 12550. A Mass of Christian Burial will be
celebrated, 10:30 am, Thursday, June 15, 2023 at St.
Patrick's Church, 55 Grand Street, Newburgh, NY 12550. 