Dorothy Antoinette "Dory" Benanto

An adored Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and friend to many, Dorothy Antoinette “Dory” Benanto passed away peacefully on April 27th, 2025, one day after her 77th birthday surrounded by her loving family. 

Though her final illness came on suddenly and was mercifully brief, her life — filled richly with love, ingenuity, and beauty across her communities in Massachusetts and Naples, Florida — will be remembered forever. Dory was a strong, independent, vivacious woman who loved and enjoyed life and always having fun. She was a wonderful companion to all those who knew and loved her.

Dory was the life-long partner of her devoted husband Ronald Benanto for nearly 55 years (and soulmate for 58 years), and the beloved Mother to Jessica Oldham (husband Michael), of Arlington and Jeffrey Benanto (wife Nicole), of Duxbury. Her five grandchildren, Ryder and Judah Oldham, and Clara, Chloe, and Maren Benanto, were the absolute joys of her life. She is also survived and cherished by sisters in law, Rosemary Holzer (Husband John, deceased) and Lucille Benanto, and brother in law, Joseph Benanto, as well as several cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and Naples neighbors, including her best friend Anne Reenstierna (husband, Eric, recently deceased, also a dear friend) of Newton. She met Anne while working as executive assistant to the headmaster at Brimmer & May School to enable Ronald to attend the full time MBA program at the Harvard Business School.

Dory was born on April 26th,1948 in Gardner, Massachusetts to Francis Sokolowski, a Gardner police sergeant, and Suzanne Sokolowski, a hospital administrator at the Henry Heywood Memorial Hospital in Gardner. Her childhood in Gardner was marked by fond memories with her many cousins. She later attended Emmanuel College in Boston, graduating in 1970 with a degree in English, which reflected her creative spirit and artistry. 

During this time in Boston she met her husband Ronald, previously of Derby, Connecticut. They married on October 3rd,1970, and started a blissful life together, raising their family initially in Newton, and then Acton, Massachusetts, before becoming Florida residents. Originally their snowbird retirement home, but later a full time residence, their Naples home was located on the second fairway of the Cypress Woods Golf & Country Club. The house was endearingly named “Casa Dorotea” by her husband to reflect her love of the natural landscaped beauty, Spanish architecture, and exotic flora and fauna of Naples. 

In her Acton years, she received a Landscape Design Certificate from the Radcliffe Seminars program and was a regular exhibitor at the annual “Art in Bloom” series at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. She also was a past president of the Acton Garden Club and curator of the Acton Arboretum. 

Throughout her life, Dory found joy in life’s simple pleasures: a well-tended garden bed full of gardenias and hydrangeas, the beauty of ocean waves during a gulf coast sunset, a perfectly tender steak or a classic New England lobster roll, and an early summer stroll through the woods of Walden Pond. She loved gardening, cooking, drawing, interior design, fashion, writing and curating her family’s history, trips to TJ Maxx and Ross, bike riding, playing golf, and traveling far and wide with Ron. Fond memories ranged from European vacations to France and Italy, to excursions throughout Florida, New England and the entire Eastern shoreline. Her favorite trip of all was their three month cross-country road trip taken after dropping Jeff off at college in Pennsylvania in 2002. She also beamed about her recent visit to the grave of her cousin, World War II hero, Anthony Jasinski, in Normandy, France, during a trip with Ron in 2024. 

Dory was a renowned hostess and entertainer, meticulously planning and executing many birthday and holiday celebrations for her family, several of which created lasting memories for family and friends who reflect on her uncanny attention to detail and welcoming nature. A true early adopter of many creative arts, she embraced many digital technologies, such as graphic design, word processing, audiobooks and podcasts, before they became fashionable. 

But her greatest joy came from her family, especially watching her children and grandchildren pursue their passions — Judah’s theatrical and vocal performances, Clara and Chloe’s dance recitals and plays, and Ryder’s rising basketball career. Their accomplishments, and those of her children, were her pride and delight.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, May 5th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the Eaton & Mackay Funeral Home 465 Centre Street in Newton, Mass, followed by a “Celebration of Life” memorial service and Christian burial beginning at 12 PM at the Chapel at the Newton Cemetery on 791 Walnut Street, Newton, Mass.

In Dory’s spirit, flowers are welcomed and appreciated and can be sent to the Eaton & Mackay Funeral Home in Newton. Donations can also be made in her honor to the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence in Wayland, Mass.

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