Dorothy L. Manfredi, born 11/9/1918  passed away peacefully on 9/19/2013.

Dorothy Manfredi exemplified a generation of Americans who were driven by duty and an ambition to change the world – a generation of towering achievement and modest demeanor who, in Tom Brokaw's words, "fought not for fame and recognition but because it was the right thing to do."  She was 94 and passed away peacefully at home in Duxbury, MA on September 19, 2013.  At a time when few women broke out of traditional roles, Dorothy transcended the limits of the Great Depression and a modest rural background.  She rose through sheer pluck and determination to become a decorated Captain in the Army Nurse Corps in the South Pacific during World War II and in Europe during the Cold War.

Dorothy Looby Manfredi was born at the height of the Swine Flu pandemic on November 9, 1918 on a farm in Artesian, South Dakota to Henry Looby and Blanche Oddy.  Her mother, stricken by the flu, passed away soon after Dorothy was born.  Due to the financial stresses of the Great Depression and the loss of her mother, she moved often, lived with relatives, and for times in group homes, until her father remarried and was able to support their family.  She attended numerous schools, ultimately graduating from Assumption Academy Boarding School in Nebraska in 1936.  She then attended Our Lady of Lourdes Nursing School in Hot Springs, South Dakota.  She furthered her studies at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee, WI and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  Seeking to expand her horizons, and against her family's wishes, she responded to a call for duty and joined the Army in 1941 at the outbreak of WWII.  She served in the South Pacific for four years in front line field hospitals in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines.  She was decorated with 2 Bronze Service Stars.  In 1948, she was posted in Trieste, Italy and then Munich, Germany.  In Munich, she met the late Henry Manfredi, who was stationed in Trieste, Italy with the US Army CID and CIA. They were married in Trieste in 1952 where they lived for 4 years.  In 1956, the Manfredi' s moved to Rome where they raised their two children, Michael and Elizabeth.  The family moved to the Washington DC area in 1967. Soon after their return, Henry died at the age of 54.  While living in Potomac, MD, for many years she summered in Bethany Beach, DE.  In 2003, she moved to a residential community in Duxbury, MA where she was an active member of that community.

Dorothy was motivated to contribute to the world around her.  She continued her commitment to service in the Washington, DC area and Bethany Beach, participating in numerous civic, social, and religious organizations.  As a volunteer at the Christ Child Antiques Opportunity Shop in Georgetown, she was awarded their highest Service Award.   In 1996, she was featured in the permanent exhibition at the Women in Military Service Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.  From her military service in the South Pacific and years living abroad, to her resourcefulness in providing for her children after losing her husband, Dorothy consistently chose a selfless path that focused on the welfare of others.

Characterized by a strong will, a sense of humor that would carry her through adversity and achievement, despair and triumph, an inclination toward adventure, and an unfailing belief in duty and patriotism, Dorothy lived through tumultuous times.  She was a South Dakota farm girl who rode her horse to a one-room school house where the soup was always steaming on the wood stove.  Her sense of adventure took her to WWII and a life in Italy after the war.  She was fiercely independent, uncommonly direct, and full of laughter.  When asked to comment on her life she said:  "We were always taught to cope, work hard, study hard and play hard.  No matter what, my dad was always helping someone less fortunate and I learned much from his example.  I always wanted to see the world and help my country, there was so much to do, and so many things to try and accomplish."

She is survived by two children: Michael Manfredi of New York City and Elizabeth Dunne of Cohasset, MA, daughter-in-law, Marion and son-in-law Mark and three grandchildren, Christina Norcia and her husband, Gerard,  and Adrian and Isabelle Dunne.

A Burial Service will be held 9/30/13 at 11am at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, MA 02532.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Women in Military Service Memorial (800-222-2294) www.womensmemorial.org .