Doris (Angell) Rae

Doris Rae suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday September 29th and died Thursday October 1, 2020 at Christiana Medical Center.  She was born June 2, 1929 in Bronxville, NY, although she rarely admitted her NY connection, except in reference to her lifetime friend Jean Carter.

Doris’ parents were Orson Angell and Esther Jones Angell. Her brother David and sister Esther predeceased her.

Her husband Dr. Donald B. Rae and three children Dr. Keith Rae, Kimberly Leonard (David), Leslie LaCrosse (Richard) survive her as well as five grandchildren, Justin Leonard (Courtney), Amanda Leonard, Elizabeth Rae, Lindsey Rae, Hannah LaCrosse, and special friends Jeri Bounds and Jonathan Bounds.

Doris grew up in Chevy Chase MD, graduated from Sidwell Friends School before matriculating and graduating from Oberlin College in Ohio.  Oberlin is where she met her husband Don.  Doris and Don were married June 13, 1953.  They were married for 67 years.  During Don’s junior year in dental school they were introduced to skiing and world travel while stationed in Munich, Germany. They traveled extensively and favorite spots were Thailand and Egypt.

So who was Doris?  Doris’ mother tutored children in NY and MD.  She passed her love of books and children on to Doris.  Doris taught reading in MA and Language Arts in Cambridge, MD.

After moving to Angell’s Farm in 1977, Doris was known as Mrs. Angell’s daughter. It seemed everyone knew Miss Angell.  Her dad and his dog Molly were well known too, so sometimes she was Mr. Angell’s daughter.  Soon everyone knew Dr. Rae and she became known as Dr. Rae’s wife.  Shortly after Kim started teaching at North Dorchester, Doris was stopped for a traffic violation.  The officer asked her if she were Kim Rae’s mother.  She was never so happy to belong to someone as he replied, “be more careful next time.”

Since then she became her own person.  Many adults have stopped her and said, “Aren’t you Mrs. Rae?  You were my favorite teacher!”

She was always her own with her family, the many dogs she loved, her students and her “bookies”.

God has now called her his own.

There will be a memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations of children’s books to the school of your choice or to the Little Free Library at Immanuel United Church of Christ on Whitehall Rd.  The library was dedicated to Doris Rae and her mother Esther Angell who both taught reading to the children they loved.