Dottie Baniewicz
Dorothy Ann (“Dottie”) Bowen Baniewicz died peacefully on March 13th.
Dottie was one of a kind. Born in Bloomfield, NJ, she worked for Olsten Temporary Services early in her career. She later moved to Cranford, where she became an integral part of the community for more than forty years.
Dottie loved Cranford and was loved by many in return. She was a co-founder of the Cranford 9/11 Memorial and monitored the maintenance of the park until her final days. She served on the board of Cranford Family Care for 17 years and contributed to Project Home of Cranford for more than 10 years. She was an honorary member of the New Jersey State PBA and a silver card member.
Dottie was involved in countless projects to improve Cranford’s downtown. Back to Nature, the health food store that Dottie and her husband Charlie owned and operated, was a vital part of the downtown for 30 years. She went on to serve more than 22 years on the Cranford Area Chamber of Commerce, where she was Executive Director for five years. With others on the Chamber, she organized the annual Pride in Cranford awards, Cranford Street fairs, Christmas and Easter activities for children and many other events.
She will be remembered for her many years of service in numerous organizations, including the Parent Teacher Associations at Walnut Avenue School, Livingston Avenue School, Hillside Avenue School and Cranford High School. Cranford Democrats remember her for her service as a Democratic committee woman.
If someone was hurting and needed help, Dottie was there. She volunteered as a crisis counselor for the Cranford public schools. She organized a memorial when her local school crossing guard passed away. She sent cards, meals, and whatever was needed to hundreds of friends and families.
In her free time, Dottie’s favorite things were traveling with her husband, shopping with her daughter and son-in-law and spending time with her grandson, whom she adored. Her children and grandchild were the light of her life. Dottie would always take care of everyone else before herself and never asked for anything in return. She was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and friend to all.
Surviving are her husband Charlie Baniewicz, her daughter Megan, son-in-law Michael and her grandson Charlie, as well as many nieces and nephews whom she loved very much.
Editor’s note
Having taken many photos of town events I searched our archives for a photo of Dottie and couldn’t find any where she posed for a photo. Dottie was always in action. Working, helping … as in this photo she is helping a girl scout place an ornament on the downtown gazebo tree.
Upon her retirement from the Cranford Chamber of Commerce, the Cranford Township Committee honored Dottie with a proclamation on February 11th 2020.
An excerpt: WHEREAS, Ms. Baniewicz’s love of her family and the Cranford community inspired her tremendous contributions to providing the Cranford community with lively, interesting and fun events such as the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Breakfast with Santa and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Trolley Rides, the Downtown Tree Lighting, Street Fairs, Cruiser Nights, the Circus and networking events for business people; and Ms. Baniewicz was instrumental in organizing the Cranford World Trade Center Memorial Committee after the September 11, 2001 tragic events. With this Committee, Ms. Baniewicz has organized Cranford’s annual 9/11 ceremony commemorating the Cranford residents who lost their lives on this day.
