DOROTHY “DOTTIE” GRAY KLINE

BRANDON — Dorothy ‘Dottie’ Gray Kline, 85, was born June 12, 1939, in Portsmouth, N.H., to parents Arthur N. Gray and Esther Christopher Gray. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 9, 2025, in Middlebury, Vt. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Terry Kline, in 2022.

Dottie’s parents worked in teaching (high school and college), special education, educational administration and farming. In 1945, Dottie moved with her family to Dansville, in western N.Y., when her parents decided to buy a potato farm, where Arthur was a pioneer in developing new and modern farming methods. In Dansville, she started her study of piano and developed her lifelong passion for music. Dottie furthered her music education at the Chautauqua Institute and at SUNY Fredonia.

In high school she met Terry, who was two years her senior. They wed on Valentine’s Day in 1959 and their son Mark (1960), daughter Molly (1961) and son Doug (1967) followed. Dottie, Terry and family lived in various small towns in western N.Y. until 1978 when they moved to Brandon, Vt. There, they bought and restored an 18th-century historic saltbox home on Park Street, where they lived until 2015.

In addition to teaching music in the public schools in western N.Y., Dottie shared her love of music as a piano teacher for over five decades with both adults and children. Former students maintained lifelong relationships with Dottie, which began with music instruction but often blossomed into much more.

Dottie loved to travel, and seeing Broadway shows was one of her favorite activities. She spent many long weekends traveling via Amtrak to NYC, usually with friends or family, for a weekend of shows, meals, movies, long walks and fun. She would love to hear the life stories of those she crossed paths with including cab drivers, waiters, bellmen and hotel managers.

In 2015 Dottie and Terry moved from Brandon to EastView in Middlebury. They both loved and were very active in the EastView community with Dottie serving as the pianist in the EastView community orchestra.

Dottie is survived by her children, Mark R. Kline of Rochester, N.H., Molly K. Merkert (Fred) of Brandon, Vt., and Doug Kline (Annette) of Darien, Conn.; grandchildren Douglas Merkert (Karen) of Sudbury, Emily Merkert of Leicester, Ben Merkert (Aimee) of Hinesburg, Gray Kline of New York City, Camilla Kline of Atlanta, Ga., Addison Kline and Thea Kline of Darien, Conn. She leaves one great-grandchild, Ronan Merkert of Hinesburg. She is also survived by her older sister, Johanne Gray Gillard (Dick) of Dansville, N.Y., two nieces and a nephew.

Plans for a celebration of life will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dottie’s memory to either of the following organizations that were near and dear to her heart: EastView at Middlebury in honor of Dottie Kline to benefit the music program of this non-profit senior living and long-term care community. C/O Cari Burkard, Engagement + Communications Manager, Eastview at Middlebury, 100 Eastview Terrace, Middlebury VT 05753, (802) 989-7515, or [email protected], eastviewmiddlebury.com/honoring-gifting/ or Addison County Home Health and Hospice, which provided wonderful and compassionate care to Dottie and Terry (and so many others) at the end of their lives:  www.achhh.org.

Arrangements by Miller & Ketcham of Brandon.◊