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Remembering
Dot Winslow
Dot Winslow personified the VOTF volunteer in her
cheerful, unflagging support for the VOTF mission and
goals. Her recent death leaves the office and the organization
poorer. Her time with VOTF leaves all of us richer.
From Alice Campanella, VOTF National office staff
Dorothy Winslow was the quintessential VOTF volunteer.
She was committed to VOTF from the very beginning,
and for five years Dot came to the office twice a week.
Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow deterred her from
performing her duties. She was always upbeat, meticulously
groomed and never a complainer; even as her illness
prevented her from eating, she never considered not
coming to help us out.
Dot loved her parish (St. Susanna’s) and Fr.
Steve had a special place in her heart. She was constantly
giving of her time and talents: she went to her local
elementary school and read to the kindergarteners;
she brought an abandoned dog into her home even though
she already had a dog that she adored; and if a friend
was ill she was the first to provide meals. Dot personified
love in action – consistently bringing her spirit,
energy and goodness to places of need. Her concrete,
unassuming way of living the Gospel speaks volumes
about who we are and strive to be as people, as an
organization and as Catholics. Dot will certainly be
missed.
From Mary Ann Keyes, VOTF founding parish voice coordinator
Dot was one of those people you always loved to see
coming through the door at work. She was passionate
about her involvement with the movement. She helped
start an affiliate at St. Susanna’s in Dedham,
and after hearing Bill Gately, a survivor, speak at
a VOTF meeting, she felt she had to do something and
committed to volunteering at the VOTF office. Many
wonderful people have been drawn to Voice of the Faithful
and Dot was one I am grateful to have known.
From Angela Tragos, VOTF office manager
I came to Voice of the Faithful last year in May to
fill the position of office manager at the national
office. I did not realize that I would develop a relationship
with such a beautiful kindred-spirit—Dot Winslow.
She became to me in a short time the grandmother I
never had. Every Monday and Friday we sat at the conference
table in the national office working on projects and
talking about anything and everything in life from
who I was dating to her dogs. Dot never missed any
of her volunteer days. Even when she was not well,
she still came to help me get thank you letters folded
and stuffed into envelopes. Dot’s commitment,
loving nature, and fiery passion when it came to reforming
the Church made me feel glad to call myself a Catholic.
I got the sense from her that despite all her hard
work and devotion, she still felt like she was not
doing enough to make the church a more loving institution.
This made no sense to me because it was her hands—the
work she did with her hands—that contributed
to so much of what VOTF has become and accomplished
in the past five years. If anything, I am not so sure
that the institution of the Catholic Church was good
enough for Dot. May God hold her in God’s hands
now. I love you Dot.
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