Obituary: Dorothy Christiansen of Bethlehem

The passing of a Bethlehem woman was noted earlier this week in a newspaper that serves the New York City borough of Staten Island, where she was born.

Dorothy Christiansen died Monday, the Staten Island Advance reported.

She was 76.

Arrangements are being handled by  in Bethlehem.

According to the Pearson Funeral Home website, Christiansen graduated Summa Cum Laude from , and earned a Master’s degree in Education from , while raising five children.

Dottie taught at Lehigh Carbon Community College, at VIA of the Lehigh Valley (formerly Cerebral Palsy) and for the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20. In 1997, while working for the Intermediate Unit in schools, she was presented with the Teacher of the Year Award for her work with multiple disabilities support students.

Through the years, she and her husband Robert hosted many international students in their home. In 2006, they were part of a short-term mission trip at an orphanage in Namibia, Africa.

Dorothy is survived by her husband, four daughters, a son, 15 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. today in . There will be a family greeting period from 9:15 a.m. until service time and immediately following the service.