WILMINGTON — Mary Rose Butterfield Dobbins of Wilmington, NC passed away peacefully on Friday, November 11, 2022 at the Davis Community in Porter’s Neck where she has resided since 2014.
She was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on September 13, 1927 to Harold Joseph Butterfield and Inez Carolina Richtmann Butterfield.
Mary graduated from the Saint Francis Hospital School of Nursing in La Crosse, Wisconsin and then later graduated from Western Reserve University, where she completed her RN Anesthesia specialty training.
After moving to Wilmington the early fifties, she worked for Dr. George Koseruba, Babies Hospital, James Walker Memorial Hospital, Cape Fear Memorial Hospital and New Hanover Memorial Hospital before retiring in the 1980’s.
She married Harold Fred Dobbins in 1957, now deceased, who was a Piedmont Airlines Captain. She is survived by her four children, Jane Casey of Norfolk, Virginia, Claire Dobbins of Wilmington, NC, Lynne Dobbins Boney (Charles) Wilmington, NC and Jeffrey Brian Dobbins Burnsville, NC and Grandson, Cameron Dobbins of Raleigh, NC.
Mary was known for her compassion, fearlessness and undying devotion to her family, friends and animals. She was a devoted member of the New Hanover Kennel Club and Weimaraner Club of America. Locally, she taught classes in Canine Good Citizenship and Advanced levels of Obedience Training all the while participating in Rescue and showing her own dogs. After retirement, she continued to training her dogs in Field and Tracking winning many awards.
At the age of 82, she responded to an emergency at a dog show in the Myrtle beach Convention Center, after a friend collapsed from a heart attack. She performed CPR for over an hour with another retired RN and then had to intubate when the paramedics efforts were unsuccessful.
Mary was known especially for her love of all things chocolate, pumpkin pie, and various candies which she stashed in every nook she could find. She was either making it or eating it at every opportunity.
The family would like to recognize and salute her excellent caregivers at the Davis Community. Special thanks to Quetta, Fiona, and Alicia for attending to her every need. Additional thanks to Jennifer Walker, RN of the Lower Cape Fear Lifecare Hospice and her team, Dr. Eileen Gonzales, Dr. Hormose Goudarzi. To all those unnamed, please know that you are not forgotten for your kindness and compassion, we thank you.
