Dorothy M. D'Souza

Dorothy M. D’Souza passed away peacefully on April 9th, 2022, very shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. She passed on her mother’s birthday, and we take consolation in that fact as Dorothy was extremely close to her and took great care her in the final years of her life.

Beloved wife of Oswald, loving mother of Selma and Roy (Terri), dear grandmother of Eric and Natalie, fond sister of Elsie, Amy, Jerry, and Daisy. Cherished aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was born in India on January 18, 1938 to parents Gregory and Winnifred Menezes. As Gregory sadly passed away when his children were young, she and her siblings were raised by her mother and many loving aunts and uncles. Dorothy overcame this challenge, and that challenge was the reason she was empathetic and wanted to help others. With her siblings, they still created a home that was full of love, laughter, and music. They have a bond like no other. From a very young age Dorothy had a great passion for music, as anyone could see the joy within whenever she sang her favorite popular and religious songs. We remember so many being impressed when she sang with her siblings; their natural talent and love of performing with each other shining through. They sang occasionally on the radio in Mumbai in the late 1950s.

Oswald and Dorothy were married on November 3, 1963 in India. They raised two children, Selma and Roy. They emigrated from Kuwait to Chicago in 1974 and lived in their neighborhood, Edison Park, since 1975. Oswald and Dorothy shared a love of family, faith, music and travel. They were both active parishioners at their church and with the Indian Catholic Association of America. She mentioned many times that she was fortunate to travel to many places in the U.S. and in Europe. Dorothy worked at Sargent and Lundy and Hart, Schaffner and Marx in Chicago before she retired in 2006.

Dorothy was truly one-of-kind due to her incredible generosity towards others, something she shared dearly with Oswald as this was one of their core values as a couple. Every person that had the privilege of interacting with her was left feeling loved and blessed. While she will be greatly missed, her heart, spirit, kindness, and unconditional love for others will remain with us forever.  

Visitation will be held on, Tuesday, April 12, from 4-8 p.m. at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home,120 S. Northwest Hwy, Park Ridge, IL.

Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 11 am at Immaculate Conception Church, 7211 W. Talcott Avenue, Chicago, with a luncheon to follow. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Chicago Catholic Charities, https://www.catholiccharities.net/ or the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America, http://www.mesorfa.org/.

To view the Funeral Mass via livestream, please click on the link provided. icchicago.org

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Dorothy M. D'Souza, please visit our Tree Store.