Dorothy “Dot” (McGettigan) Callaghan, 87, a legendary Rochester educator, youth sports pioneer, and the beloved matriarch affectionately known to generations as “Grammy Dot,” passed away peacefully on October 21, 2026.

Born on August 31, 1939, Dot’s life was defined by an unwavering dedication to family, children, community, athletics and her Catholic faith. The daughter of Charles Owen and Dorothy Josephine (nee Sheldon) McGettigan, she was raised on a dairy farm in Wilton, NH, with her siblings Charlie, Kenny, Donald, Bobby, Jimmy, Helen, Maggie and Ellie. Dot’s lifelong dedication to family and community mirrored that of her mother, Dorothy McGettigan, who balanced running the family farm while working in the home goods department at Jordan Marsh in Manchester, earning the N.H. Grange Mother of the Year award from N.H. Gov. Hugh Gregg in 1969. Dot would later be recognized with similar awards years later.

The McGettigan family donated the family farm to conservation in alignment of their deep beliefs in stewardship and to express their love and respect for the land.

Dot earned her bachelor’s degree from Keene State College and moved to Rochester to teach Special Education, where she soon met Frank and started their family. She completed her master's degree in education from Keene State College in 1972, while her youngest children were babies. She dedicated decades of service to the Rochester school system. Primarily teaching at the East Rochester School, Dot shaped the minds and hearts of thousands of local students. She especially enjoyed inspiring her students on countless field trips to Washington, DC, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, and Amish Country. Her passion for teaching and commitment to her students led her to being recognized as Rochester's Teacher of the Year.

Beyond the classroom, Dot was a fierce and visionary advocate for youth athletics. In 1977, she helped found the Spaulding High School softball program, serving as its first head coach. She remained a fixture in the dugout for an incredible 28 seasons as the official scorekeeper while her daughter, Sheila, coached the teams. A trailblazer for sports in the community, she coached countless local youth basketball, recreational soccer, and softball teams. In recognition of her immense contribution to local sports, Dot was honored as the recipient of the prestigious 50th Carl Lundholm Memorial Award by the New Hampshire Union Leader. Her broad service to the city also earned her the distinction of being named Rochester’s Citizen of the Year and New Hampshire's Mother of the Year, proudly following in her mother’s footsteps.

As her children matured and headed to college, Dot dedicated her summers to teaching summer school and providing humanitarian services within the Eastern Navajo Nation at the St. Bonaventure Indian Mission & School in Thoreau, New Mexico. Her quest for learning continued as she often traveled to religious shrines throughout the world to explore and express her Catholic faith.

Dot was predeceased by her beloved husband, Frank D. "Junior" Callaghan, himself an iconic Rochester civic leader, school board member, and sports figure who passed away in 2009. Together, they raised a proud, active, and community-minded family on a foundation of faith, dedication, and love.

She is also survived by seven children, former Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan and his wife Susan, long-time Spaulding coach Sheila Colson and her husband, David, Peter (Tenley), Kathy Thoms (Andy), Christopher (Cassie), Andy (Maureen) and Brian (Jennifer). Grammy Dot deeply loved her grandchildren Jack, Borja, Caroline, Parker, Brendan, Kate, Maggie, Elizabeth, Shannon, John, Mary, Molly, Frankie, Annie, Patrick, Aidan, Meghan, Owen, Matthew, and great-grandchildren Jack, Charlotte, Murphy, Theo, Juan Diego, and Ignacio. Throughout her life, she remained closed to a large, loving network of former students and athletes whose lives were forever changed by her mentorship. She is also survived by Mimosa, her cat, who equaled her intensity for life and passion for the Celtics.

Visting hours will be 2:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday November 8, 2026, at Edgerly Funeral Home 86 S. Main Street, Rochester, NH. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 71 Lowell Street Rochester, NH on Monday November 9, 2026, at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School. http://www.stbonaventuremission.org