Dorothy C. (Pignotti) Campisi

Dorothy C. (Pignotti) Campisi

Dec 8, 1928 – Mar 4, 2018

Preceded in death by great-granddaughter, Hope Foster; brothers: Nunzio, Sam, James, and Joe Pignotti; sisters, Grace Bennie and Lee Stone.  Survived by husband, Joseph; children: Gary (Judy), Karen Campisi-Ballue (John), David (Beci), Steve (Carmen), Tim (Jami), Mike (Joan); 18 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Antonio “Tony” Pignotti (Cindy); brother-in-law, Tony Campisi; sister-in-law, Viola Pignotti; numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 8^th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the West Center Chapel, followed by VIGIL SERVICE at 7:30pm.  MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Saturday, March 10^th at 10am at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 3122 S. 74^th St.  Interment: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.  Memorials may be directed to the family.

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Dorothy Concetta (Pignotti) Campisi was born and raised in Omaha with five brothers and two sisters (the three sisters referred to themselves as the Three Musketeers).  Her job in the household was to iron—as a mom, she continued to iron everything, including socks and underwear.  Dorothy attended Clifton Hill Elementary School and then, Technical High School where she was a cheerleader, graduating in 1947.

She met her husband, Joseph Campisi, when he stopped at her house with friends on their way to going hunting.  The friends left without Joe, who stayed behind so he could meet Dorothy.  Their first date was at Trentino’s and they knew immediately that they would get married someday.  As it happened, that day was October 9, 1948.

Dorothy and Joe lived with a family member until they were able to buy a house in north Omaha.  In 1957 they moved to Westgate. They never left that home, bringing up six kids there—one daughter and five sons.  Dorothy worked at Mutual of Omaha until she started having children. She held various part-time jobs when the children were older but went to work full-time when the youngest was in school all day.  For more than 20 years she worked at Westside High School as an educational assistant in the Social Studies Department.  She was adored by staff and students alike, and she loved them in return.

Dorothy poured her amazing energy into a multitude of interests and activities.  She loved reading, going to plays and movies, walking, hiking, dancing with her husband, Joe, sightseeing, attending Husker football games and tailgating with friends.  She enjoyed listening to music, especially Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Michael Bublé.  Family vacations, mostly to Minnesota, were a joy, and she loved hosting parties, especially for the family during the holidays.  She enthusiastically played all kinds of games—dominoes, cards, board games, bunco—and she usually won when she was playing with her kids.

Dorothy was known as “the kissing aunt” because she had to kiss everyone goodbye at family gatherings. Everyone came to expect those kisses and would have been upset if they missed getting one from her.  Ever ready to help anyone and everyone, Dorothy was one of the kindest people you could ever meet—she never had a mean thing to say about anyone.  Most important, though, was her devotion to her family, whom she loved deeply.