Obituary of Constance A. Dunne

Constance A. (Miritello) Dunne died on Wednesday February 6, 2013 at her home in Concordia, Monroe Twp. She was 97 years old. Mrs. Dunne was born in New York City. She was raised in Auburndale, LI, NY and lived in Brooklyn before moving to Rockville Center, LI. She later lived in Glen Cove, LI, NY for 32 years finally moving to Concordia, Monroe Twp. in 2006. She was a registered nurse and received a master's degree in public health education from Nova University. She was employed by Nassau County Department of Health as a health educator where she worked for 10 years before her retirement in 1975. Following the death of her son Timothy, she became a tireless advocate for suicide prevention initiatives and for helping others who had lost a loved one to suicide. She started the first suicide survivors support group on Long Island, and co-facilitated it for over 6 years. In 2011 she was honored as "Survivor of the Year" by the Suicide Prevention International Foundation. She was a board member of the VNA of Long Island, a member and former president of the Catholic Nurses Association, a board member of the LI Coalition for Universal Health Plan, and a founding member of the AARP-Glen Cove Chapter. In 1990, she was honored as Senior Citizen of the Year of New York State. She was a former parishioner of St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Center and St. Paul's RC Church in Brookville. She was a current parishioner of Nativity of Our Lord RC Church, Monroe Twp. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Francis Ralph James Dunne in 1984, her son, Timothy Dunne in 1973, and six siblings. She is survived by six children, Karen Maxim and her husband Daniel of Princeton Junction, Kevin Dunne and his wife Deborah of St. Augustine, FL, Edward Dunne and his partner David Ralston of NYC, Franklyn Dunne and his wife Alma of Guadalajara, Mexico, John Dunne and his partner Vicki Van Zee of Northampton, MA, and Deborah Goss and her husband Brian of Macon, GA, one brother, Frank Miritello and his wife Regina of Brookville, LI, NY, nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and many other extended family members. A private cremation took place under the direction of the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home 205 Rhode Hall Rd. Monroe Twp., NJ 08831, 732-521-0555. A memorial mass will be celebrated on Monday February 11, 2013 at 11:00am at Nativity of Our Lord RC Church, Monroe Twp. Interment of her cremated remains will take place at a later date in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood, Westbury, LI, NY. In lieu of flowers and for those who desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center 400 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36104, or by visiting www.splcenter.org.