Dorothy Krejci Crick Colletti dies at 86

Dorothy Krejci-Crick-Colletti

Dorothy Krejci-Crick-Colletti of Westhampton Beach died on July 28. She was 86.

Ms. Colletti was born in California at only 2.5-pounds and, according to family, spent the first month of her life sleeping in a shoebox.

In 1944, after completing high school, she joined the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve and was stationed in occupied Japan.

On New Years Eve 1946, she married U.S. Air Force Captain James M. Crick Jr. in Japan.

Those close to her recently remembered her as a true “Air Force wife,” a loving mother, wonderful cook, artist and all-around creative and fun-loving person.

She had started her love affair with the East End when she was stationed at Suffolk County Air Base in the early 1960s, family members said, but did not return to live in the area until 1980.

She was predeceased by her husband and the father of her children, Lieutenant Colonel James M. Crick Jr.; by a former husband, Michael Colletti; and by her close companion, Robert Dolson.

She is survived by two daughters, Sallie Crick of Moriches, and Kathleen Crick and her partner Michael Clark of California; a son, James M. Crick III and his fiancée Kirsten Black and Ms. Black’s son Trevor Black, all of California; four granddaughters, Heather Halsey and her partner Colby Copeland of California, Melissa Halsey-Gomez, also of California, Christy Goldfeder-Ingkavet of Brooklyn and her husband Steve, and Leslie Goldfeder-Chaikin and her husband German of West Islip; and five great-grandchildren, Mark Craig of Washington, Mikayla and Madeline Gomez of California, and Sarah and Leah Chaikin of West Islip.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 11, at 2 p.m. at Follett & Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach.