Dawn A. Sapuntzoff, age 82, of Jacksonville, FL, formerly of Weeki Wachee, FL, Dayton, OH, and Lynn, MA, passed away peacefully on April 30, 2022. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Ernest Sapuntzoff, her parents, Fred and Helen (Bigney) White, and her grandson James Pelusi.
Born in Montreal Quebec, Canada on May 17, 1939, Dawn lived in St. John New Brunswick Canada until she was 11, and moved to Lynn, MA in 1951. She attended Lynn English High School as well as Chandler School for Women in Boston, attaining a degree in Business/Secretarial/Accounting. Her first husband’s (James M. Rothwell II) career took her to Dayton, OH where she raised her 3 children. Later, she would marry her late husband Ernest Sapuntzoff, and they would retire in Weeki Wachee, FL.
Dawn had a successful near 30 year career as a personal banker starting in Dayton and continuing on in Weeki Wachee. She received many accolades for her work in the banking industry. She was excellent at customer relations simply because her deep concern for others’ welfare was innate. She also volunteered her time, most notably with Kiwanis, United Way and Neighborhood Watch Group. She converted to Catholicism shortly after Ernie’s passing in 2005 and was a member of St. Frances X. Cabrini Parish in Spring Hill prior to moving to Jacksonville.
An avid baker, Dawn would always have delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies, rice crispy treats or fudge on hand for grandchildren and house guests. Whenever she traveled to see her grandchildren, she had all these treats in tow. She showered her grandchildren with so much love. She loved to cook for family and friends and made an amazing lasagna. She always had a smile on her face and sought to support family and friends with positive uplifting words of encouragement. Even when Alzheimer’s disease took over, she continued to smil e and gave those around her much joy, always living her best life.
Dawn is lovingly survived by her children, James M. Rothwell III and his wife Terry of Columbus, OH, Jill W. Rothwell of Jacksonville, FL, and Faith R. Pelusi and her husband Jim of Winchester, MA. She adored her stepdaughters, Jane Spence of Sandra Park, NM, Kris Sapuntzoff of Colorado Springs, CO, Tanya Bishop of Austin, TX, and Wendy Sapuntzoff of Eagle, CO. Dawn was a devoted grandmother to Sean, Alyssa, Anna, Jake, Maddie, Luke, Clayton and Callie R.
Dawn is further survived by her dear friends from high school, The Clubettes, and her dearest lifelong friend, Annie Douglas, whom she met when she moved to Dayton nearly 50 years ago and then both retired in the same neighborhood in Weeki Wachee.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to a funeral service at Pinecrest Funeral Chapel, 3369 Mariner Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34609, on Thursday, June 2, 4:00 to 6:00 PM with eulogy starting at 5:30 PM.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, please donate to:
https://www.promedica.org/waystogive/here-to-help/donate/
Or
https://alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/research_progress
