Dorothy C. Sweatt Ferguson, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister-in-law, peacefully passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2024, surrounded by her loving children.

Dorothy was born on June 16, 1937 in Suffolk, Virginia (Nansemond County) to the late George Edward Sweatt, Sr. and Bertie Mae Hunter Sweatt.

Dorothy attended public schools in Suffolk, Virginia and graduated from East Suffolk High School in 1956. Dorothy moved to New Haven, Connecticut in 1959, where she met the love of her life, Charles J. Ferguson, Sr. Dorothy and Charles married on March 19, 1960. From that union came six beautiful children; Reginald, Angela, Patricia, Charlene, Charles Jr., and Willona.

In 1964, Dorothy and her sister Gertrude dedicated their lives and were baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. She has been a faithful servant of Jehovah ever since and enjoyed sharing the Bible truths with others. Dorothy loved to cook and have Sunday dinners with her family. She was well-known for her fried chicken and potato salad. Dorothy enjoyed listening to music such as James Brown, Teddy Pendergrass, and Patti LaBelle. She also enjoyed singing and swing dancing. Dorothy and her sister Gertrude formed a singing group as teenagers in high school with friends and were known as The Sweatt and Wiggins Sisters Singers. Dorothy loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She would help care for them and do many activities with them. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends from the Kingdom Hall, having lunch dates and taking walks. Dorothy loved basketball and baseball, especially the Mets and UConn Men's and Women's basketball teams.

Dorothy started a private home daycare in the 1970s then gained employment with the City of New Haven as a Cafeteria Service Worker in October of 1979, retiring in June of 2003.

Dorothy leaves to mourn her children, Reginald Ferguson (Voleta) of New Haven, Angela Ferguson Gore of Hamden, Patricia Ferguson Duarte of East Haven, Charlene Ferguson Preston of Hamden, Charles J. Ferguson, Jr. (Beverly) of Fuquay-Varina, NC, and Willona Ferguson of New Haven, 8 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, one sister, Gertrude Sweatt Grayson of Hamden, sisters-in-law Cora Ferguson (Frank), Janice Turner, and Barbara Ann Bates (Nilon), all of Fredericksburg, VA, and Emily Ferguson of New Haven, along with a host of loving nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly.

Dorothy was predeceased by her loving husband of 63 years, Charles J. Ferguson, Sr., sisters, Lottie Mae Sweatt White and Margaret Sweatt Formey, one brother, George Edward Sweatt, Jr., one son-in-law, Philip Preston, sisters-in-law Ellen Jean Sweatt, Harriet Ferguson, Sharon Ferguson, Juliet Owens, Lorraine Anderson, Alma Thorpe, and Brenda Jeter, brothers-in-law Thessalonia White, Ralph Formey, Nathaniel (Ike) Grayson, Sr., James "Fergie" Ferguson, William Ferguson, Welford Ferguson, Leon Ferguson, Edward Ferguson, Lewis Dennis Ferguson, and Carl Ferguson, stepmother Vivian Sweat, and her favorite grandson Moet Bacote, whom she affectionately adored.

Friends are invited to visit with Dorothy's family from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Friday, April 26 ^th at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 885 Wintergreen Avenue, Hamden. Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by burial in Beaverdale Memorial Park. To view a live stream of the service via Zoom, please use Meeting ID 472765437 and passcode 007940.