Doris Jane Vandenbergh Remein died peacefully on December 26th, 2025, after living a full life of 105 years.  Doris was born on December 16th, 1920, in Rochester, NY, the fifth child of Peter and Nellie Vandenbergh.  She was preceded in her transition to heaven by her parents, husband, Charles; six siblings, Ruth, Marion, Pete, Melvin, Millie, and Jean; daughter-in-law, Connie; grandchildren, Beth Ann and Adam, and many, many other relatives and friends.  Doris is survived by her three sons, Tom (Marlene), Warren, and Duane (Colleen), as well as her grandchildren, Dan (Meagan), Chrissy (Marco), Tessa (Dave), Abby, Jonathan, and newborn great granddaughter, Dorothy Ann Manas-Remein.

She grew up on Ohio Street, in a house built by her father and grandfather. The family was charter members of the Memorial Orthodox Presbyterian Church formerly located on Merchants Rd. She enjoyed an active childhood; ice skating at Cobbs hill, walking everywhere, picnicking at Durand Beach and riding the nickel trolley on rare occasions.  Growing up during the depression, the family didn’t have much, but Doris’s father made sure they had a piano, and Nellie gave all her children music lessons.  Doris always enjoyed playing the piano and had a great voice.  Her family was very involved in the church, which is where she met her husband, Charles (Chuck) Remein,  in their youth group, and singing together in the choir.  After Doris graduated from high school, Chuck wised up and proposed. Chuck at that time was in the Army and was stationed at Fort Belvoir outside of Washington, D.C.  Never one to be intimidated, Doris took the train down to DC to visit her fiancé, much to the chagrin of her father, Peter, who was concerned for her reputation.  On Sept 18th, 1942, she and Chuck were married. Two months later, they would be separated for three long years as Chuck served in with the 660th Engineer Topographic battalion in Britton and later in France.  During those war years, Doris worked at Kodak spooling film in the dark room and as a secretary.  She later served as the bookkeeper for Embrey’s Drug Store in Penfield, NY, and for the small printing business that Chuck had on the side.

When the war ended, Doris and Chuck moved into the first floor of her grandfather’s house on Ohio Street (where East High School is now) and set to making a family. Thomas was their first born in 1947 followed by Warren in 1948.  After they moved into a house on Manse Lane in 1951, Duane came along in 1952.  The semi-rural setting was a perfect place to raise their three boys, and Doris was kept trim and fit chasing after them, and occasionally voicing those dreaded words “wait till you father gets home”.  

Doris and Chuck attended MOP Church until they moved from Rochester out to Port Bay, where they lived for 4 years.  Doris was always active in her church, as a member of the Mary and Martha society, singing in the Choir and general participation in most church activities. 

In her 40s, Doris took up synchronized swimming as well as lifeguarding, and she often credits swimming to her long life. She also was able to visit Europe - Germany, Switzerland, and see the birthplace of her father - Aardenberg, in the Netherlands. At the age of 98 (almost 99), she crossed a lifelong goal off her list - flying an aircraft! She also loved animals, especially her beloved cats, Boots and Mitzi.

Doris knew that affording good vacations would be a challenge so she suggested that the family go camping.  Chuck purchased an Army surplus wall tent and summer adventures began with an outing to Selkirk Shores State Park.  Soon the target was the Adirondack Mountains including Golden Beach at Racket Lake and Rollins Ponds.  All three boys attribute their love of the outdoors to their mother induced early camping trips.  

Not satisfied with just local adventures Doris also convinced Chuck to take various road trips.  First was a trip to North Carolina to visit with Remein relatives and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  This included a new larger tent (with a floor!) and close up encounters with an extended family of Black Bears.  Did you know that the space between a tent wall and the ropes holding up the tent make a perfect back scratcher for papa black bear?  

The trip to NC was soon followed with a three week trip to Washington State and another facilities upgrade.  This time to a sports craft trailer (all of 16’ maybe) which had running water and a stove!  Several more National Parks were ticked off on this adventure including visits to The Bad Lands, Yellowstone, Glacier (Doris’s personal favorite) and the Olympic Peninsula, where Aunt Mary insisted on sleeping out under the stars and was up cooking breakfast over an open fire.  More memories and stories were made on this trip than any other (ask Tom about his glasses some time!).  In her later years one could almost always get a rise out of Doris with an opening statement like “Oh! Remember that trip out West?”  One of her favorite stories was when she expelled Chuck from driving.  Soon “the nice road” turned into a narrow two laner with a wall of rock on the left and a steep drop-off on the right.  But not to worry, there were guard rails when there was room for them and only an occasional hole where someone had run off the road earlier.  Mom did great but pulled over as soon as we got off the mountain onto a bit of flatter land. 

After the boys were grown and out on their own, Doris and Chuck moved to Port Bay where they had previously had a cottage.  Eventually the more solitary winters convinced them to move back closer to Rochester, and they purchased a house on Woods Edge Dr. in Gananda where they spent many happy years.  Several years after Chuck passed away, Doris moved into The Legacy, an assisted living facility in Penfield, where she became the “Senior Senior” and was much loved by her fellow residents and the staff.  

Doris felt a deep love and connection with her sons and their families.  She made each grandchild a special quilt, full of love, to celebrate their birth.  She also penned poems to encourage their personal growth and good character, often traveling to Ohio or North Carolina for visits.  

She was feisty and spirited until the very end after a brief decline.  She had been expectantly awaiting her departure from this earth for her heavenly home to rejoin her husband, Chuck, and to be with Jesus, her savior whom she lived for.  Special thanks to her granddaughter, Tessa, and son-in-law, Dave, who devoted many hours to assist and minister to her during her final stay at St John's Nursing Home.  The Hospice team from Rochester Regional Home Care and the St John's staff provided excellent end of life care. 

Visitation will be from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Jan 31st with a Memorial Service immediately following at Jennings Nulton & Mattle Funeral Home, 1704 Penfield Road, Penfield, NY.  In lieu of flowers gifts maybe sent to:

Lollypop Farm

99 Victor Road 

Fairport, NY 14450

585-223-1330

Or to

Rochester Regional Health Home Care & Hospice Care 

330 Monroe Avenue

Rochester, NY 14607

585-214-1000