Dorothy Z. Wadhams, age 83, of Budd Lake, NJ passed away Wednesday, August 30th after a brief illness.  “Dotty” was born in Phillipsburg, NJ on January 31, 1940 to the late Fenton Widenor Zink and Verna (Learn) Zink.  In addition to her parents, Dotty was predeceased by her beloved husband of 58 years, Rodney Day Wadhams, her son-in-law, Pete Rumore and sister-in-law, Kathy Zink.

She was a 1958 graduate of Belvidere High School, attended Muhlenberg College, a 1961 graduate of Allentown School of Nursing, and a life member of the school’s alumni association.

She is survived by her daughter, Tracy Wadhams, Budd Lake and sons, Rodney Wadhams (Panna) of Tyler, TX and Ed Wadhams (Kristi) of Bonita Springs, FL and brother, John F. Zink of Riverside, CA, nieces and nephews, Jeannine Meredith (George), Shawn Zink (Missy) , David Zink (Cathy) and Kimberly Moore (Mark).

Upon graduation from nursing school, Dotty worked as a Registered Nurse at Warren Hospital and Andover Nursing Home.  She worked 25 years at Hackettstown Regional Hospital and retired in 1999 as a Medical/Surgical Charge Nurse.

Dotty was a 60 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Delaware Chapter #50, Phillipsburg and a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Belvidere.   She loved gardening and was a 25 year member of the Mt. Olive Garden Club.  Dotty enjoyed researching her ancestry and you could find Dotty knitting or crocheting at a feverish pace. Friends and family enjoyed the countless baby blankets, socks, afghans, sweaters and pedicure socks that she would knit watching professional golf and her beloved New York Yankees.  Such the knitting pro, each item was adorned with a tag that said, “Made with tender loving care by Dotty Wadhams”.

Dotty loved to travel with her husband and favorite trips included an Alaskan cruise and they didn’t miss a University of Tennessee home football game for over 20 years.  She was a voracious reader of romance novels and obituaries.  We just wish she was around to read her obituary.

A visitation will be held on September 7, 2023 from 3-7 pm at Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 11 am at the funeral home with Entombment to follow at Union Cemetery, Hackettstown, NJ.

For those desiring donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306 or to a charity of your choice in memory of Dotty.

Online condolences may be left at www.cochranfuneral.com