Obituary of Dorothy M. Teator

Rensselaer-Dorothy M. Teator, age 89, died peacefully on Monday, March 25, 2024 at Evergreen Commons Nursing Home. Dorothy was born in Albany, on March 4, 1935 to Joseph and Gabriella (Janowitz) Riscavage.

Dorothy was a graduate of St. John’s High School in Albany. Upon graduation she worked for Tobin Packing Company, where she worked until she raised her family.  On May 22, 1954, she married her husband, the late Raymond A. Teator Sr., whom she was married to for 64 years before Art passed away.  Together they raised eight children in Rensselaer.

Dorothy was a proud communicant of St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph’s Church in Rensselaer, where she spent many years as a Eucharist Minister.  She loved entertaining family and friends in her home with Art, and enjoyed nothing more than having her family around, especially at Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Good Friday Fish Fries.

Dorothy is survived by her children Marie (Robert) Mitchell, Raymond Jr. (Susan) Teator, Karen (David) DeFruscio, Kathleen (Glenn) Niemitalo, Michele (William) Kayser, Holly (Thomas) Coy and Michael (Kelly Pacatte) Teator.

She is also survived by her 27 grandchildren, Rebecca (Michael) Peters, Tracey (Thomas) Neill, Robert (Kathleen Marean) Mitchell, Christina (Craig) Barry, R. Joseph (Christina) Teator, Seth (Colleen) Teator, Matthew (Lisa) DeFruscio, Sarah (Jeremy) Ginsberg, Kathleen DeFruscio, Lee (Sarah) Niemitalo, Sharon Niemitalo, Danielle (Tom) Kozaczuk, Trisha (Keith) Vecchione, Meghan, Erin and Micaela Kayser, Erica (Michael) Drinkwine, Emily (Gordon) Whitney, Allyssa (David) Graham, Andrew, Alexis, Abigail and Aiden (Olivia Hallenbeck) Coy, Mia and Christopher Gil, Kieran and Reagan Teator and 28 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her two brothers, Joseph (Frances) Riscavage and Vincent (Pat) Riscavage.

Along with her parents and husband, Dorothy is predeceased by her brother, Michael Riscavage, her mother-in-law, Helen Teator, her daughter, Sharon Dixon and her granddaughter, Caitlin Kayser.   

The family would like to thank her neighbors, Ralph Purdy Hathaway, Katie and Pam DeFelice and Sandy Raus for always being there for her and helping her in the last few years. They would also like to thank the staff of Evergreen Commons Nursing Home for their care and compassion during the two months she spent there.

 A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, April 1, 2024 at 11:30am in St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph’s Church, Herrick Street, Rensselaer. Relatives and friends are invited and may call prior to the Mass from 9:30am to 11am to the W.J. Lyons Jr., Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer. Interment will follow the Mass in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, East Greenbush.