December 11, 1946 – April 21, 2026
Dorothy Ruth Emsley (nee Gallagher) of Wilmington DE, known by all as “Dottie,” was born in Collingdale, PA. She was the first daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Gallagher. Dottie graduated from Collingdale High School, where she was an honor student and played field hockey and basketball.
In high school and college, she worked part-time and summers at the family’s plumbing supply and home appliance store, primarily handling accounts receivable. Her cousin Nancy Jane, just a year younger, also worked at the store, and the two of them shared adventures. They would flirt with the young men who worked near them, have impromptu dance parties at lunch time and make runs to northeast Philadelphia to pick up needed appliances.
After graduating from high school in 1964, Dottie enrolled at West Chester University as a mathematics major, then during her junior year switched to elementary education. It was there that she met her future husband, Wayne, in “Tests and Measurement” class. They began dating in October 1967 and were married nearly two years later in August 1969. After graduation, Dottie taught first grade for three years, then became a full-time mom to sons Brett and Matt. After eight years, she began formally teaching again, at Chester Bethel Preschool. Once Brett headed off to college, and Matt started high school, she began teaching kindergarten in the public school system. Over her career, she taught in three elementary schools: P. S. duPont, Forwood and Lombardy.
A majority of her career was at Lombardy. During this time, the kindergarten philosophy and curriculum changed dramatically. Kindergarten was no longer glorified childcare; it was seen as the foundation of all future learning. It became full-day, and while some playtime remained, it was more structured and designed to foster reading and writing skills. Dottie embraced these changes enthusiastically. With her colleague Debbie Miller, she initiated innovative instructional strategies such as instructional centers, Kidwriting and Mathcounts. Their innovations were so successful that they presented workshops to other teachers. Both she and Wayne retired in 2007 after a 29-year teaching career.
Dottie’s personal life was busy and productive. She loved to socialize and would plan and carry out a wide range of parties and celebrations. Their first home in Claymont was small, just two bedrooms, a living room, and a small kitchen. But she and Wayne would squeeze in nearly a dozen friends and family members for holiday dinners, birthdays, or not so casual get-togethers. After they moved into the bigger house in Oak Lane Manor the parties got bigger also. In 1974 she organized the first of many Christmas “Sing-a-Lings”. As many as thirty adults and their kids would share a potluck dinner, then Dottie would play the piano while carols of the season were sung. This gathering continued for nearly 25 years. Over the years “special guests” Frank Castelli and Ed Frangish stroked the ivories, allowing Dottie more time to socialize.
She loved to travel. Prior to marrying Wayne her travels were limited to the east coast – mostly South Carolina and New Jersey. A year after they were married, they took a six-week trip out west. They saw the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and the Badlands. They put their toes in the Pacific Ocean, marveled at the vastness of the Great Plains and deserts, and soaked in the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. The following summer they did another six-week trip, this time in Europe. As soon as Brett and Matt were old enough to travel the four of them began a series of summer travel adventures that would take them to all forty-eight continental states and Canada. After Brett and Matt left the nest, her travels continued and expanded. Dottie and Wayne did the lower forty-eight again, this time with their close friends Ned and Mary Lou Landis. Cruises to Alaska and Hawaii made it all fifty states. Other travels included over thirty countries.
Dottie believed exercise and diet were important. She participated in organized exercise classes for over 30 years with Mary Lou, her daily confidant. She got a Fitbit some years ago and made it a point to get her 10,000 steps each day. She enjoyed cooking and was ready to try new dishes on her family and friends. She had hundreds of recipe cards. Many of them are somewhat soiled and spotted, a sign that they were used repeatedly.
She also sewed – clothing, drapes, and upholstery – and made intricately patterned quilts. She got interested in making greeting cards. She took a number of card making classes, and as she did so, her cards became more and more complicated and attractive. She had a card making area in the basement, stocked with a colorful variety of paper, ribbon, and envelopes. She made hundreds of greeting cards for Christmas, birthdays, and many other occasions.
She also embraced technology. She used the internet to investigate all sorts of things and communicated with friends and family using email and Facebook. She used FaceTime to sing to and entertain her grandchildren when they were not nearby.
Sadly, her final years on earth were living with and then succumbing to dementia. It began many years ago when she would appear to be “in a fog.” Her world slowly became smaller, and she declined dramatically during Covid. When home care became too challenging, she was placed in a long-term care facility. It appears that she never realized that she had left her beloved home and had not recognized friends or family members for many years.
What is Dottie’s legacy? First, she was a caring and loving mother to her sons, Brett and Matt, and deeply loved and adored her grandchildren. She embraced her daughters-in-law as her own. She never seemed to tire of playing with each grandchild when they were young and enjoyed being a part of their experiences as they grew older. She was a devoted wife and enthusiastic life partner to her husband Wayne. She was his best friend. They shared in travels to four continents and built successful careers in education together. Their partnership enabled them to live their lives to the fullest. She was a kind and caring friend. Her friendships were long-lasting and deep. Wayne and Dottie, and Matt and Brett when home, had daily dinners with the Landis family—daughters Judy and Heidi consider Dottie as a second mom. Notably, she and Karen O’Connor Kuntz, who had been friends since junior high and college roommates, maintained a lifelong connection. She was an effective and beloved teacher. As a pre-school and kindergarten teacher, she laid the foundation for successful learning for hundreds of little children. It was not uncommon, in later years, for her to meet the parents of former students who would thank her for her contribution to their child’s success.
Dottie was a loving mother, grandmother, wife, sister, aunt, friend, and teacher. She made the world a better place.
Dottie was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Dorothy Gallagher, her brother Thomas Gallagher and sister Joan Gallagher. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Wayne Emsley; her sister Ann Pearson (Jeff) of Anaheim, CA; sons Brett (Chris) of Zionsville, IN; and Matthew (Rachel) of North Reading, MA; and grandchildren: Connor, Evan, Victoria, Charles, and Elanna.
A celebration of life will be held in July. A notice will reappear in the News Journal closer to the date with times, as well as on this website.
For online condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
