Dorothy Bragg

Dorothy Cronin Bragg, 97, died peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, at the Terrace at Mountain Creek in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dorothy was born to Charles and Loretta Cronin on May 21, 1915, in Baltimore, Md. Dorothy spent her career in the fashion retail business, opening her first store, Hess Country Store, in 1958 in Reisterstown, Md., and went on to open three additional stores, Dorothy Hess For You, in Towson, Md., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Guadalajara, Mexico. In 1967 Dorothy was selected to represent the state of Florida at the 1967 World's Fair Expo in Montreal, Canada, where her work as a fashion designer was showcased. In 1972 Dorothy moved to Laguna Hills, Calif., where she lived for the last forty years. She spent her time working as an artist and a volunteer to numerous civic and community organizations. In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her brothers, Chuck, Jack, and Donald Cronin. She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth Hastings (Bill) of Westminister, Md., Susan Honeycutt, of Raleigh, N.C., and Muffy Hess Mitch (Tim), of Chattanooga, Tenn.; grandchildren, Candi Milne (Paul),of St. Michaels, Md., Tim Chiaruttini (Karen), of Taneytown, Md., Tom Chiarrutini (Kathy), of Hancock, Md., Heidi Hastings Brien (Gary), of Olney, Md., Amy Hastings Adams, Raleigh, N.C., Jennifer Lieb (Adam), of Chicago, Ill., John Timothy Mitch Jr. (Gina), of Signal Mountain, Tenn., Katherine Mitch Stanley (Clayton), of Corinth, Miss.; twelve great-grandchildren, and four-great-great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held in Laguna Beach, CA. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Dorothy Bragg Scholarship Fund, 14321 Yale Avenue, Irvine, CA, 92604, or Hospice of Chattanooga, 165 Hamm Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405.