Doris K. Overtoom died quietly on April 9 at the Merry Heart Nursing Home in Boonton, N.J. She had lived in Madison, N.J. and West Tisbury for the last 25 years of her life, and had previously resided in Florham Park, N.J. for many years. She was 87.

Doris was born at home on May 23, 1929 to Albert and Sophie Kligge in Hillside, N.J. She grew up there with her twin sister, Florence, sisters Dorothy and Marie, and eldest brother Albert. She and Florence were the youngest of the family and they would never let them forget it; even when they were young women of eighteen the family would ask, ‘Where are the babies?” The good-looking twins later caught the eye of the Westinghouse Corp., which hired them to model their first washer/dryer Twin appliance combo at the Springfield fair. It was there that Doris met her husband John H. Overtoom from Madison, N.J., who was also working the fair selling tractors with his dad. Doris and John married a few years later, on October 30, 1954, and settled in John’s hometown of Florham Park, N.J.

Doris raised four children of her own and also, beginning in 1978, three children from her twin sister Florence, who died at an early age. In 1979 she took on an exchange student from France as well. The house was always full, with lots of people, ideas and energy. In her spare time, she loved to play tennis with her friends. She also loved to travel the world. She visited Egypt, and was lucky to see Moscow when the Soviet Union first allowed tourists, and Yugoslavia before it separated into independent nation-states. She visited all of Europe and the Caribbean Islands but especially loved Italy, returning time and time again while cultivating a love of opera. She was an avid reader and loved music and art. She was a strong woman and supported women’s rights throughout her life.

In 1982 Doris became an “urban pioneer” and joined the back to the cities movement when she purchased an abandoned brownstone in the Arlington Park neighborhood of Jersey City, N.J. She renovated it into two apartments, doing much of the day to day construction labor herself. She forged many new friendships with members of the large Russian emigre community residing in Jersey City at that time. Her brownstone stood directly across from the picturesque Catholic church that was later featured in the hit HBO series Sopranos.

She spent 25 years summering from May through October on Martha’s Vineyard. Doris and John lived in West Tisbury and enjoyed being part of the community. She loved to come each spring to spend time with her grandchildren, Olivia and Michelle. They would watch operas together, cook, read, garden, sing and talk for hours. She so enjoyed being part of their lives as they grew up.

Doris was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, John H. Overtoom. She is survived by her children: Karen M. Overtoom and her husband, Louis, of West Tisbury; Douglas L. Overtoom and his wife, Carol, of Haddonfield, N.J.; J. Andrew Overtoom and his wife, Tricia, of Silver Lake, Calif.; and Leo J. Overtoom and his wife, Gwen, of Scarsdale, N.Y.; her nieces and nephew, Stefanie Cohen and her husband, David, of Buffalo N.Y.; Phillip Cohen and his wife, Sue, of South Orange, N.J.; and Laura Riley and her husband, David of Hilton Head, S.C.; and her grandchildren, Olivia and Michelle de Geofroy, Nikolaus and Ian Overtoom, Sam Brown, Kermit and Calliope Cohen, and Casey and David Riley.

A celebration of her life will be held this summer on the Vineyard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity.