Sylvia Edith (Knights) Dore, of Rochester, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully late Sunday, October 4, 2026.

More commonly known as Gram, Grammie, or Sis, Sylvia was born in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, to Lawrence and Rita (Bickford) Knights on January 10, 1936. She graduated from Spaulding High School in Rochester and spent her childhood between Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro, and Rochester.

On November 27, 1954, Sylvia married her one and only love, Roy Dore. Together, they welcomed their first son, Frank, in September 1956, followed by their second son, Glen, in October 1958. Sylvia was a devoted mother and grandmother, and while raising her sons, she welcomed many of the neighborhood children into her home and treated them as her own.

Sylvia was an active and loving presence in the lives of her family. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. She made it a priority to be there for the activities her sons participated in and, later, for the many activities of her three granddaughters. One of her favorite memories was riding in the Rochester Christmas Parade in the band van, waving to all her neighbors while watching her two youngest granddaughters march in the band just ahead of her. She also made sure to attend her oldest granddaughter’s basketball games throughout her school years.

Sylvia was the historian of the family and could sit for hours sharing stories from generations past. She remembered everything—from the time her youngest son pushed his older brother through a wall while playing football, to the time she put her fist through a wedding cake because it wasn’t perfect enough, to the day her youngest son copied a Tony the Tiger commercial by grabbing his cat, Tiger, by the tail and proudly announcing it to his parents

Her knowledge of family history was remarkable. She could tell you the name of a relative who lived more than a hundred years ago, along with their birthday, where they lived, and how many children they had. Her granddaughters would often call her or stop by simply to listen to her stories, knowing there was always another memory waiting to be shared. Sylvia enjoyed taking her granddaughters on rides to the Mount Washington Valley to discuss the vibrant history the family had there. One of her favorite past times was to drive up to the Mount Washington Hotel, making stops at the cemeteries where loved ones rested.

Sylvia also had a true daredevil spirit. At the age of 81, she went skydiving with her youngest granddaughter, Carrie. When she was younger, she hung out of a helicopter in Hawaii and went hot air ballooning with her mother and youngest son. After skydiving, one of her biggest dreams was to go ziplining.

Sylvia had a kind and loving soul that extended to everyone she met throughout her life. She cherished the friendships she made through the Portland Pirates, her class luncheons, and the many friends and family members she remained close to over the years. She was never without someone to talk to and had an incredible sense of humor that often came through in the form of an old saying or perfectly timed pun, such as, “That would be like picking rat turds out of black pepper.”

During the last couple of years, she spoke fondly of the time and the rides she would take with her daughter-in-law Becky. They took road trips to the mountains, to her mother’s house in Madison, and to one of her favorite places, Nubble Light in York, Maine.

Sylvia was predeceased by her parents, Rita (Bickford) in 1999 and Lawrence Knights in 1982, her brother Frank Knights in 2006, her sister-in-law Joan Knights in 2019, her beloved husband, Roy Dore, in 1994; her son, Glen Dore, in 2024; her niece Sherry Connally in in 2019, and her daughter-in-law, Wendy Dore, in 2025.

She is survived by her son, Frank Dore; her granddaughter, Erin Dore; her daughter-in-law, Rebecca “Becky” Dore; Glen and Becky’s daughters, Christi (Dore) Gregory and her husband, Christopher Gregory, and Carrie Dore; her son, Dennis Wilson, and his wife, Debbie Wilson; and her nephew, Larry Knights, and his wife Jan Knights.

Sylvia will be deeply missed and forever remembered by her family and friends. Her stories, her sense of humor, her adventurous spirit, and the love she gave so freely will live on in all who knew her.

Visitation hours will be Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 4-6 pm at Edgerly’s Funeral Home, 86 South Main Street, Rochester, NH. The interment will take place at 11 am on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at Townhouse Cemetery, 247 Middle Road, Center Tuftonboro, NH.