HAMPTON - On Oct. 12, 2011, longtime Hampton native and resident, Dorothy Rouse-Bottom passed away peacefully at her home.
Born to the late Dorothy Rouse Bottom and Major Raymond B. Bottom, she was the second of three children. Dorothy attended primary school at the Indian River Park Elementary School and junior high at George Wythe. She attended high school at St. Anne's School in Charlottesville, Va., and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Sweet Briar College in 1949. That summer while serving the children of East Harlem, N.Y., as a social worker, she met her husband to be, Langdon B. Gilkey, who served as a teaching assistant at Union Theological Seminary, where Dorothy was taking classes. They were married shortly thereafter in Newport News, Va., and moved to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where Dr. Gilkey was a professor at Vassar. The couple then moved to Nashville, Tenn., where their only son, Mark Whitney was born. The family temporarily relocated to Munich Germany in 1961 when Dr. Gilkey received a Guggenheim to study at Tubingen University. After that Dorothy and her son moved to New York City, to be with her sister, Barbara, and her children. As a free lance book editor for Charles Scribner and Sons, and then later as staff editor at Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich, where Dorothy edited dozens of books, primarily focused on religion. In 1977 she was asked to become Assistant Editor for the Daily Press, Inc., commuting between New York and Hampton while earning a Master's Degree from Columbia University in 16th-century English history. She became Editor of the Editorial Page in 1983, and served on the Daily Press, Inc. Board of Directors, until the paper, and cable companies were sold to the Tribune in 1986. During that time Dorothy and her husband, John Duffy, a noted musician and composer, purchased and restored two turn of the century homes in Hampton. After the sale of the family business, Dorothy put her energies into her love of community and history. She served on the Boards of many organizations devoted to preserving the unique history, culture, and environment of Hampton Roads, some of which include the Mariners' Museum, Christopher Newport University, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Hampton History Museum, the Rouse Bottom Foundation, the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Opera and the Virginia Symphony. Dorothy was a tireless advocate of Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park. To commemorate Hampton's origins, Dorothy organized two conferences to mark the 400th anniversaries of the construction of Fort Algernoune at Old Point Comfort and the sacking of the Kecoughtan village. Forever a lover of books, Dorothy was an avid collector of early Virginiana, most of which has been donated to CNU. As founder of Port Hampton Press, Dorothy published several noted local histories. At home, among her many passions were showing Portuguese Water Dogs of which she had 3 national champions, sailing small sloops, gardening in her rose garden, and sharing the natural beauty of Tidewater Virginia.
In addition to her first husband, Dr. Langdon Gilkey, Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Major Raymond B. Bottom, former President and Publisher of the Daily Press newspapers, (1931-1953) and Dorothy E. Bottom, former Editor and Vice President of the Daily Press, (1954-1977); a sister, Barbara A. Forst, former Assistant Business Manager of the Daily Press, (1979-1986).
She is survived by her cherished son, Mark Whitney Gilkey of San Francisco, Calif., his wife, Laura, and their daughter, Sofia; her former husband, John Duffy; her stepdaughter, Maura Duffy of Taranta, Italy, and her son, Antonio Bergamini of Miami; her brother, Col. Raymond B. Bottom Jr., of Hampton; nephew, Matthew Forst of Brooklyn, N.Y.; niece, Fernande Sommers of Clyde, N.C., and her son, Shanti Sommers of Seattle; nephew, Jesse Forst of Manhattan, his wife, Claudia, and their sons, Vincent and Nicholas; cousins, Davis and Earl Bottom, Virginia Hazel Beninghove all of Richmond, Va.; Marge Raney and Pat Delany of Charlottesville; other cousins include Martha Bradshaw of Williamsburg; Billy Rouse of Northern Neck; Randy Rouse of Fairfax, Va.
A memorial service is scheduled on Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. at St. John's Church, Hampton.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Daily Press Holiday Fund 2011.
Information from the R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home at 245 South Armistead, Hampton, Va.
An obituary was published in the Daily Press from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15, 2011

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Obituary: Rouse-Bottom, 83, former owner, editor of Daily Press
October 12, 2011
Dorothy Rouse-Bottom, a former editor and owner of the Daily Press Inc. who was passionate about the newspaper's role in the community and the history of the city of Hampton where she lived, died at home Wednesday, Oct. 12, at age 83.
Her parents, Dorothy Rouse Bottom and Maj. Raymond B. Bottom, were owners and officers in the Daily Press Inc. In 1977, she was asked to become assistant editor for the Daily Press. In 1983, two years after her mother retired from the company, Mrs. Rouse-Bottom was elected editor of the editorial page. She served in that capacity and on the board of directors until the company was sold to the Tribune Corp. in 1986.
Mrs. Rouse-Bottom was keenly interested in the editorial page and the Sunday commentary section. When the company was sold, she wrote, "For no privilege is greater than that of giving voice to one's community. Of the many functions a newspaper fills, its most enduring is as the community's voice and memory…The newspaper is the forum where citizens speak out for social changes that can create a more just society."
She also promoted the region's history, especially Hampton, and worked on many fronts to preserve its heritage.
"She was one of the citizen visionaries that saw the place for the Hampton History Museum," said museum curator Mike Cobb. "She had an unsurpassed knowledge and love of Hampton history, and she wanted Hampton to have a first-class facility to tell that story."
Before the museum opened in 2003, Mrs. Rouse-Bottom funded a lecture series to get people interested in the facility. When it opened, she provided money to acquire numerous artifacts and to present conferences for the city's 400th anniversary, said Cobb. The museum's Great Hall where lectures are presented is named for her.
"She did everything with a style and a grace that I'll never forget," said Cobb.
Hampton Mayor Molly Ward remembers Mrs. Rouse-Bottom as both a family friend and an advocate of the community.
"Dorothy was a gracious, brilliant, funny and warm human being," said Ward. "She was that rare scholar who lit up every room she ever walked into. We are grateful for her ardent advocacy for our community and Fort Monroe. We will miss her deeply."
Mrs, Bottom's interest in history also extended to The Mariners' Museum.
"She was a real book enthusiast and was very engaged in the library there," said John Hightower, the museum's former director. "She was one of those magical beings who was so enthusiastic about whomever she was working with."
Will Molineux, a former Daily Press editor, worked with her on other projects, including the Port Hampton History Foundation and its publishing arm, Port Hampton Press.
"Dorothy Rouse-Bottom made sure that Hampton's prominent place in Virginia's colonial maritime history was unearthed, researched and recorded so that it can be treasured always as a public inheritance," said Molineux.
Apart from history, Mrs. Rouse-Bottom had far-ranging interests that included gardening, sailing, raising championship dogs, working to preserve the Chesapeake Bay, and attending arts events. She served on numerous boards including Christopher Newport University, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Opera and Virginia Symphony, and she was a strong advocate of Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park.
Mary Sherwood Holt and Mrs. Rouse-Bottom were classmates through the fourth grade at the Indian River Park Elementary School in Hampton. Later, the two worked together on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
"She was so full of life and gave so much of herself," said Holt. "It was her energy and her determination that things were going to be right in this world."
Mrs. Rouse-Bottom attended high school at St. Anne's School in Charlottesville and graduated from Sweet Briar College in 1949. Later she earned a master's degree in 16th century English history fromColumbia University.
While working in New York City, she met her first husband, Langdon Gilkey, a religion professor, and they had one son, Mark Whitney Gilkey. Later she married John Duffy, an Emmy-winning composer and founder of Meet the Composer. Mrs. Rouse-Bottom wrote the lyrics for "Fanfare for Shipbuilders" and "Pride of Virginia," two works composed by Duffy for the centennial celebration of then-Newport News Shipbuilding. The pair divorced but remained close friends.
During her years in New York, she worked as a book editor at different publishing houses. Eventually, she returned to Hampton to live and work at the Daily Press.
"When she came back here to live, I still felt like we were best friends," said Holt. "I'm going to miss her."
A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Hampton. R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Extracted from a profile published in the Daily Press on October 12, 2011

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Dorothy Rouse-Bottom, Class of 1949, died Oct. 12, 2011, at home in Hampton, Va. She was 83.
Rouse-Bottom’s family owned the Daily Press in Newport News and she was an editor there from 1977 until 1986 when it was sold. She also served on the board of directors.
She had a great love for the history and culture of the Tidewater area, especially Hampton. She gave generously of her time, talent and money to support myriad heritage and arts organizations, including the Hampton History Museum, Fort Monroe National Monument and the Virginia Arts Festival.
Known as a scholar, Rouse-Bottom’s interests were far-ranging. They included raising championship dogs, gardening and sailing. She wrote the lyrics for two works celebrating the centennial celebration of then-Newport News Shipbuilding. She served on numerous boards including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Virginia Opera and Virginia Symphony.
In Rouse-Bottom’s Daily Press news obituary, Hampton Mayor Molly Ward said, “Dorothy was a gracious, brilliant, funny and warm human being. She was that rare scholar who lit up every room she ever walked into.”
Rouse-Bottom graduated from Sweet Briar with a degree in religion and later earned a master’s in 16th-century English history from Columbia University. Early in her career, she worked in New York as a book editor at various publishing houses. Her marriage to theologian Langdon Brown Gilkey, with whom she had a son, Mark Whitney Gilkey, ended in divorce.
While living in New York in the 1960s, she met and married the American composer John Duffy. Although their marriage of many years eventually ended, the pair remained close friends and collaborators. Duffy helped care for her during the illness leading up to her death.
In 1988, Sweet Briar named her a Distinguished Alumna.
Published by Sweet Briar College on May 1, 2012

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Dorothy Rouse-Bottom Trust: Collection
In 1977 Dorothy Rouse-Bottom was asked to become Assistant Editor for the Daily Press, Inc., commuting between New York and Hampton while earning a Master's Degree from Columbia University in 16th-century English history. She became Editor of the Editorial Page in 1983, and served on the Daily Press, Inc. Board of Directors, until the paper, and cable companies were sold to the Tribune in 1986. During that time Dorothy and her husband, John Duffy, a noted musician and composer, purchased and restored two turn of the century homes in Hampton. After the sale of the family business, Dorothy put her energies into her love of community and history. She served on the Boards of many organizations devoted to preserving the unique history, culture, and environment of Hampton Roads, some of which include the Mariners' Museum, Christopher Newport University, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Hampton History Museum, the Rouse Bottom Foundation, the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Opera and the Virginia Symphony. Dorothy was a tireless advocate of Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park. To commemorate Hampton's origins, Dorothy organized two conferences to mark the 400th anniversaries of the construction of Fort Algernoune at Old Point Comfort and the sacking of the Kecoughtan village.
Forever a lover of books, Dorothy was an avid collector of early Virginiana, most of which has been donated to CNU.
From A finding aid covering the Dorothy Rouse-Bottom Trust, located in the Summerville Reading Room on the 2nd floor of the Trible Library, Christopher Newport University