Dorothy Ormsbee (Tilton) Howard died Oct. 1, surrounded by her family. She was 98.

She was born Nov. 15, 1921, on the Vineyard, the fifth and last child of Capt. Tom Tilton and his first wife Emily. Her father named all his children so that their initials spelled a word, so her name spelled her nickname, Dot. Losing her mother when she was only seven, she was raised by her older siblings, especially her sister Mildred, and her Grandma Tilton, until her father remarried. She grew up on the Vineyard with many close friends, which she kept throughout her long life.

Working as a waitress she met her future husband Tom Howard when he was a technician at the old Marine Hospital, now the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. The family story is that being stuck in Woods Hole waiting for the boat got them better acquainted. They married in 1947 and began raising their family while Tom built a house on Renear street, close enough to walk down Skiff avenue to work.

When the Marine Hospital closed, they moved off-Island for work, first to Brockton, and then eventually settling in Middleboro, raising a close-knit brood of eight children. They visited the Vineyard as often as possible, one standing on the ferry gangplank with a baby in a basket, surrounded by small children, while the other raced into the ticket office. Later on, in singles and pairs, the children stayed summers with their three aunts. Over the years they all learned many of the “Singing Tilton” songs from Mil and Gale Huntington. Dot’s favorite part of her birthday was when her children and their families all got together and sang the old songs.

After Tom died in 1989, Dot moved to Carver, close enough to easily get to the Island for visits. Eventually her daughter Patti moved in with her. Three years ago they moved to Windham, Me., near Portland, to be closer to more family, two more daughters and her son.

Dot’s true calling was as mother. She was the hub and heart of the family. She kept track of everybody’s doings, and kept us informed about each other. If someone was laid up, or going through a hard time, she would call and keep checking in with them. She was always asking for baby pictures, and loved visiting and being visited. Besides her husband and her children, she loved flowers and the Vineyard.

She was predeceased by her husband Thomas Howard, an infant son Charles, daughter Jane, son Thomas Jr., sisters Mildred Huntington, Bernice Benway, and brothers Alton (Todd) Tilton and Leslie Tilton.

She is survived by six of her children, Martha Slavkovsky of Shrewsbury and her husband Thomas, Mary McKillop of Windham, Me., James Howard and his wife Maureen of Otisfield, Me.; Carol Miner of Noorth Attleboro, Patricia Howard of Windham, Me., Dorothy Brezack and her husband Michael of Westbrook Me.; her half-sister Alma Lowe of Florida; 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on the Vineyard in the spring, when pandemic issues permit. There will also be a celebration of life next year.

Donations in her memory can be made to a charity of choice.