Many lives have been touched by the generosity of one woman, Dorothy Norton of South Thomaston. In one single, unselfish act, Dorothy provided generous bequests to Maine PBS, the South Thomaston Historical Society, the Knox County Historical Society, and Penobscot Bay Medical Center.

Dorothy Norton grew up in Massachusetts, the only child of frugal, hard-working parents. Her mother was a native of South Thomaston, and her father retired to South Thomaston. When her parents died, she became the caregiver of a beloved aunt and uncle who lived nearby.
 
Although her family was not wealthy, they believed in saving and investing in the stock market. Eventually her family accumulated a sizeable amount of money, which they left to Dorothy, ensuring Dorothy’s comfort for the rest of her life.

Rather than live a luxurious life Dorothy chose to live frugally rarely touching the money left to her by her family. Fred Newcomb of Rockland, Dorothy’s attorney, stated that “Dorothy felt that the money didn’t really belong to her. She considered herself a caretaker of those funds.” Care for them she did!
Her stewardship allowed the assets to grow to many thousands of dollars.

Mr. Newcomb assisted Dorothy in the creation of her will. "Her bequests reflected what her interests were, her sense of social responsibility and really what she loved,” he said.

Dorothy Norton’s clarity of vision allowed her to recognize the things she valued and cared about. But there was an additional benefit to her decision. Her bequests to charity helped to avoid payment of estate taxes and directed money that would
have  gone to the federal government to be used locally by worthy causes.
 
Dorothy’s legacy will mean thousands of people throughout Maine will be touched by her incredible vision.  Future generations of patients at Penobscot Bay Medical Center will be the beneficiaries of her $200,000 bequest, a fitting legacy from a generous woman.