Dorothy ‘Dot’ Ruane
Dorothy C, “Dot” Ruane (nee Cassidy), passed away sur- rounded by her lov- ing family on July 11, 2018 after battling the disease of ALS. Beloved wife of Wil- liam. Devoted mother of William (Melissa), Theresa and the late Christoper. Lov- ing mom-mom to Tess, Cam- ryn and Jack. Loving sis- ter to Thomas (Barbara) Cas- sidy, Bernadette (Kevin) Ryan, Mary Ann (Mark) Por- reca, Gerald (Amy) Cassidy, Francis (Kathy) Cassidy, Te- resa (Dominic) Boyle, Chris- topher (Jeanne) Cassidy, An- nette (Gary) Kelly and Marga- ret Mary (John) McNicholas. She was preceded in death by her son Christopher, par- ents Thomas D. and Doro- thy G. Cassidy, and sister-in- law Rosemary (Nelson) Cas- sidy, along with many aunts and uncles. Dorothy is also survived by many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. She was known by many for her objectivity, selflessness and her willing- ness to take control of a situa- tion and help anyone in need. Raised in Holy Cross parish in Springfield, and a gradu- ate of Cardinal O’Hara High School, she entered the work- force early in her career, work- ing at Liberty Mutual Insur- ance, then furthering her ca- reer as an executive secretary at Channel 6 WPVI news. She left Channel 6 to begin a new career raising her two chil- dren full time, only to return to the workforce years later as a Property manager for Phil- adelphia at Aetna Life Insur- ance Company. She quickly excelled at Aetna, and became one of Aetna’s most respected female executives, consol- idating millions of square footage of scattered real es- tate offices into large corpo- rate campuses, introducing and pioneering a “work from home” telecommute initia- tive that Aetna eventually ad- opted nationally, and was the “go to” person staff at all lev- els would depend on when challenges and obstacles presented themselves. She always accepted the challenges, she was strong willed, smart, and when confronted with pushback, was gracefully intimidating and successful to any adversarial positions others may have had with her decisions in corporate workplace. Her success in Philadelphia led her to an offer to become Corporate VP of Real Estate for Aetna, including an offer to move to Aetna headquarters in Hartford CT, she declined for reasons of not wanting to leave her and her husband’s aging parents, her many friends and family. She retired in 1999.
She spent her retirement and the last years of her life enjoying her time at the family shore house in Brigantine, organizing social gatherings and impromptu “get togethers”, and a few years later becoming a grandmother to her daughter’s child Tess, with twin grandchildren Jack & Camryn being added by her son & wife in 2015. She thoroughly loves and enjoyed a steady and close social relationship with all of her lifelong friends, brothers and sisters, and other extended family members. She kept herself busy working at her Brother Gerry’s Allstate agency, and graciously would laugh from time to time at the irony of sharing one printer and a cubicle with her sisters, given her career at Aetna. Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral Mass Tuesday 10:30 A.M. Holy Cross Church, 651 E Springfield RD. Springfield, PA and to her Viewing, Monday 6 P.M and Tuesday after 9A.M O’Leary Funeral Home, 640 E. Springfield RD. Springfield, PA. Int. St. Thomas Cem. Dorothy’s request was that contributions in her name be made kindly to The Billy Lake ALS Research Fund, 425 Brookline Blvd Havertown PA 19083. Arr. O’Leary F.H. Springfield, PA.