• Born: 15 February 1905, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA
• Marriage (1): Charles Nellis Thomas SPOWART on 4 June 1938 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA
• Died: 5 August 2001, Larimer, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA at age 96
• Buried: 9 August 2001, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

  General Notes

DOROTHY SPOWART
Pioneer in women's sports and United Way

Dorothy Spowart, a teacher, basketball referee and one of the first female executives with the United Way, died Sunday at Forbes Hospice in Larimer. She was 96.

A lifelong resident of Pittsburgh, she was an independent spirit and well-known socialite who grew up on Heberton Street in East Liberty.

Mrs. Spowart gave etiquette lessons to high school students. She crisscrossed Western Pennsylvania as a referee for women's basketball in an era when it was rare for women to travel alone.

"She was always a liberated woman, even when women weren't thinking of those things," said her grandniece, Katherine Joyce of Montclair, N.J.

As she grew up, Mrs. Spowart's life straddled high society and a dedication to public service. Her uncles were East Liberty caterers favored by Andrew Mellon, and her personal assistant and longtime friend went to work for the Heinz family.

As a child, Mrs. Spowart received dispensation from her bishop to attend public rather than Catholic schools. It was as a public school pupil that she became acquainted with the struggles of the poor.

More than two decades later, Mrs. Spowart broke new ground when she became one the first female executives of the United Fund, the predecessor of the regionwide charity, the United Way.

At that time, her naming to the post created a buzz. It was unusual for a Catholic to be appointed to head a secular organization. Mrs. Spowart consulted with the Rev. Thomas F. Coakley of Sacred Heart Church in Shadyside, where she had been baptized, and accepted the position of division director for donor relations.

With her priest's blessing, she went on to forge an administration marked by a focus on communication. She was responsible for running campaigns in the eastern corner of Allegheny County and never hesitated to venture into the communities and listen to the people in need as well as to contributors.

"She was an educated woman and she was interested in serving the needy," said Albert Leonard, 46, who works with the Center for Victims of Violent Crime and knew Mrs. Spowart for 21 years.

She graduated from Peabody High School, then from Arnold College in New Haven, Conn., with a degree in physical education. She returned to Pittsburgh to teach at Schenley High School and later at Peabody, where she was director of athletics from 1926 to 1938.

Mrs. Spowart worked tirelessly for the USO during World War II. As a volunteer supervisor, she trained hundreds of hostesses to care for the servicemen and women who flowed through the Pennsylvania Railroad station. She organized the canteen and sleeping areas and helped arrange free admissions to baseball games.

Heiress Helen Clay Frick once visited the post and asked how she could help the volunteers. Mrs. Spowart told her the office could be spruced up. Using her considerable pull, Frick had awnings delivered the next day.

Mrs. Spowart married Charles Nellis Spowart, a family physician, in 1938. After returning from a honeymoon cruise to Europe aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, the couple introduced a silly but graceful dance called the Lambeth Walk to Pittsburgh society. Newspaper accounts of the time featured Mrs. Spowart teaching the dance.

Her husband died eight years after the wedding. The couple had no children, and Mrs. Spowart never remarried.

After a 22-year career with the United Way, she retired in 1970 as director of women's activities.

Mrs. Spowart remained active into her 80s, serving homebound seniors as a Meals on Wheels volunteer and as a lector and eucharistic minister at Sacred Heart Church.

- Obituary from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Friday, 10 August 2001, page B-7
(http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8YVIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fHADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6289%2C6168737)

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SPOWART
DOROTHY (JOYCE)

On Sunday, August 5, 2001, a lifelong resident of Pgh, died at the Forbes Hospice on Frankstown Rd. She was 96. Born Feb 15, 1905, Mrs. Spowart was the last resident of a long time Pgh family. She was the widow of local physician, Dr. Charles Nellis Spowart, who died in 1946. Mrs. Spowart grew up on Heberton St. and attended Pgh Schools. She graduated from Arnold College in New Haven, CT and returned to Pgh to teach Physical Education at Schenley High School; later transferring to Peabody High School where she was Director of Athletics from 1926-1938. Mrs. Spowart also was active as a referee of high school basketball games around Western PA. Dr. and Mrs. Spowart were married in 1938. They were a socially active couple until Dr. Spowart's death.

From 1942-1946, Mrs. Spowart was active at the Pgh Chapter of the USO, which closed after the end of WWII. Mrs. Spowart's volunteer work for the United Fund (now the United Way) beginning in 1948 led to full time employment and a 22 year association, during which she became the first woman executive; she completed her career there in 1970, retiring from the position of Director of Women's Activities. During her retirement, Mrs. Spowart was active with Meals on Wheels in East Liberty.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Church where she was baptized, married and where funeral services will be held. She served on Sacred Heart's Worship Committee, was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. She was also active in Social Services at Sacred Heart Church. Dorothy Spowart was the younger daughter of the late Michael Francis Joyce and Emma (Raab) Joyce.

She is survived by many close friends and family including 2 cousins, 2 niece-in-laws, 5 grandnephews, a grandniece, and 10 great-grandnephews and nieces. She was preceded by her beloved brother, Raymond Francis Joyce (1941), and sister Katherine Virginia Joyce (1994), and two nephews, John Joseph Joyce (1986) of Seneca Falls and Charles Raymond Joyce of Montclair (1991).

Contributions in Mrs Spowart's memory would be welcomed by Sacred Heart Church. Funeral from MCCABE BROS., INC., FUNERAL HOME, 6214 Walnut St., Shadyside on Thursday at 9:30 am. Mass of Christian Burial in Sacred Heart Church at 10:30 am. Visitation with the family Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9 pm.

- Obituary from an unidentified newspaper, modified slightly to protect the privacy of living individuals.

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For 'Auld Lang Syne'
Edinburgh University Graduate and Pittsburgh Bride
To Visit Former Friends in Scotland
For the sake of "Auld Lang Syne," a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, will include visits to former...

To view the entire wedding story, visit the Google news archive for this article from The Pittsburgh Press, Sunday, 29 May 1938, Society Section, page 3, columns 7 and 8 (http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=riEbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E0wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6154%2C2139921).

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  Death Notes

Forbes Hospice on Frankstown Road

  Burial Notes

Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Section A, Lot 231

  Recorded Events in Her Life

• Parents: Michael Francis Joyce and Emma Margaret Raab.

• She had a residence in 1935 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA.

• She appeared on the 1940 US Federal Census on 2 April 1940 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA.
  Charles Spowart       32
  Dorothy Spowart       40
  Maria Cook       26

• She resided at 1154 Murrayhill Avenue in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA on 23 February 1946.

Dorothy married Charles Nellis Thomas SPOWART, son of Thomas SPOWART and Mary Ann NELLIS, on 4 June 1938 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. (Charles Nellis Thomas SPOWART was born on 11 February 1906 in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA,^{2 3} died on 23 February 1946 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA ³ and was buried on 26 February 1946 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA ³.). The cause of his death was Bronchopneumonia, 1 day; Pulmonary Edema, 1 hour; Due to Portal Cirrhosis, 4 yrs ?.

  Marriage Notes

Sacred Heart Church