Dorothy Splittorf

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Dorothy (Dottie) Splittorf, our beloved mother and dear friend to many, has died. She was 95.

Dorothy was born in San Francisco, the second of two daughters of Abby and Elmer Harms. Mr. Harms was in banking; Mrs. Harms’ father was in railroading. When Dorothy was a month old, the family moved to nearby San Mateo.

It was an extraordinary time and place to live. The Bay Area was booming, evolving into an important business, cultural and military center. Then two cataclysmic events — the Great Depression and World War II — shook the world. Dorothy, like others of her generation, grew up tested by societal upheaval. Early on, she acquired the resilience, optimism and faith that would characterize much of her life.

At San Mateo High School Dorothy excelled academically, earning membership in the National Honor Society. A gifted speaker, she was chosen to address her graduating class.

Extracurricular activities also kept her busy. In high school, Dorothy joined the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, a Masonic organization that teaches leadership and the value of charity through community service. In time, she became a national representative of the order.  

Later, at San Mateo Junior College, Dorothy and a classmate, the entertainer Merv Griffin, organized musicals to raise money for U.S. war bonds. She also volunteered at her local hospital as a member of the Cadet Nurse Corps.

From junior college, Dorothy enrolled at Washington State University, where she studied drama and English and joined Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

After college, Dorothy returned to San Francisco. While working as a medical secretary, she met and fell in love with Richard (Dick) Splittorf. They married in April 1949. 

A year later, the U.S. entered the Korean War. Dick, a WWII veteran, was recalled to the Marine Corp. While he trained Marine recruits in San Clemente, Dorothy made a home off base for their young family.

Postwar, Dick’s career in advertising took the young Splittorf family first to Philadelphia and then to New York City. While Dick worked downtown, Dorothy threw herself into raising their three children, renovating their homes from attic to cellar (doing much of the work herself), and volunteering at her local church, school and hospital.

In 1965, at age 38, Dorothy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery and radiation treatment; the cancer never returned.

In the prime of their lives, Dorothy and Dick enjoyed a life rich in friends, culture and travel. Dorothy loved music, particularly piano, which she played to the delight of family and friends. She often drove into New York City to join Dick for a day on Broadway, taking in musicals, sometimes two a day. Together, Dorothy and Dick toured much of Europe, visited Moscow before the fall of the Iron Curtain, sailed the Caribbean with their children, rode a train across Canada and cruised the Panama Canal.

In retirement, Dorothy and Dick split their time between Naples, Florida, and New Hampshire, eventually settling permanently in Naples.

Dick passed away in 2017. Dorothy is survived by son Richard (Carol) Splittorf of Connecticut; daughter Carla (Duncan) McLaughen of Georgia; daughter Judith (Gregory) Arnold of Florida; grandchildren Carly and Garen Arnold, and Bryan and Michael (Casey) Splittorf; great-grandson Jackson Splittorf; and niece Sandra Stuart.  

Dorothy’s sister, Annette, predeceased her.

Dorothy lit up a room with her beauty and grace. She had a magnetism that drew people to her. Now she is reunited with her beloved husband, Dick. Her love for him and her children and grandchildren is eternal, as is our love for her. We will miss her gentle guidance, her sparkling smile, her loving embrace.

A celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held on Friday, March 10, at 11:00 a.m. at The Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Drive, Naples. Dorothy and Dick will be buried together at The First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dorothy’s memory may be made to The Moorings Presbyterian Church or charity of your choice.