Dorothy Nugent Of Southampton Dies October 3

Dorothy “Dot” Nugent of Southampton died October 3, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was 89.

Ms. Nugent was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, where her home economics teacher asked her to come to Southampton one summer to nanny for her daughter’s children. In 1943 the teacher’s daughter, Ruth Herbert, invited Ms. Nugent to live with her family in Southampton and spend her senior year at Southampton High School. It was there that she met Lee Nugent, whom she married in 1948.

She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Southampton and the Southampton Golf Club, where she once scored a hole-in-one. She had a strong influence on many young people, and was called “Aunt Dot” and “Gram” by so many who decided to adopt her as their own, survivors said. Her door was always open to family and friends, and many a summer was spent by her nieces and nephews in Southampton with her. In 1968-69 Dot and Lee sponsored Martine, a foreign exchange student from Menton, France, who lived with them her senior year of high school, and with whom they still have a very close relationship. The following year Ms. Nugent’s nephew, Roger Boeckmann, moved in and spent his senior year of high school, and has been a very special member of the family ever since. All of her many nieces and nephews held very special places in her heart. There was never a birthday or anniversary that would go by without a card sent out to her family and friends.

The Nugents moved permanently to Englewood, Florida, in the 1990s. There they have enjoyed fishing off the dock and many a sunset on Lemon Bay. They are members of Faith Lutheran Church in Rotonda.

Although she struggled with Parkinson’s disease for almost 20 years, she never complained and always kept a positive attitude, spirit of adventure and was always good with a joke or two. Two weeks prior to her death, she and Lee made a trip to Southampton to visit family and old friends, and were so happy to have accomplished that after many years away.

Ms. Nugent is survived by two daughters, Judith “Judy” Poremba of Florida and Constance “Connie” Essay of Southampton; one granddaughter, Kerry Kaiser; three grandsons, Courtney Cronin and Lee and Jeremy Essay, and two great-grandchildren, Wil and Esta Essay.

A memorial service will be held in Southampton at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church, 551 Rotonda Blvd. West, Rotonda, Florida 33947, or the First Presbyterian Church of Southampton, 2 South Main Street, Southampton, NY 11968.