Dorothy June Greiner of Manhattan, NY, formerly of Ashland County, Ohio, passed away early Wednesday morning, April 22, 2026 in New York City. She was born on June 11, 1930 in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Samuel and Lily (nee Cockburn) Mamula of Vrelo, Croatia and Dundee, Scotland, respectively.
Dorothy was the third of Sam and Lily’s six children, Milicent Harman (née Mamula), Ronald Mamula, Theadore (Ted) Mamula, who predeceased her. She is survived by her siblings. Dawn Fagert (nee Mamula) and Karen Chapman (nee Mamula), her three children, Dawn (Glenn) Kasten, Jennifer (Jacob Ouillette) Greiner, and John (Mary) Greiner; grandchildren Julia, Liam, and Eleanor Greiner, and Aidan Kasten; as well as step-grandchildren Stephanie and Aurora Kasten, and many loving nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews and several especially close long-term friends who she considered family.
Dorothy spent her childhood years in Cleveland before the family moved to a farm in Nova, Ohio, where she graduated from Nova High School, Class of 1947. She earned a B.S. in Marketing from The Ohio State University in Columbus, before settling into her early career in Dayton where she nurtured her passion for the fashion industry, serving as the youngest ever buyer at Rikes, a premier department store. In Dayton she built several lifelong friendships. Until her last days, she would regale family and friends with stories of her Dayton days of mischief and fun with great fondness and near perfect recall. Following a 6-month sabbatical to travel Europe both solo and with family, she followed her career interests to New York, where she continued building a highly successful career at AMC, the consulting arm of Federated Stores. Her jobs there took her all over the world and she regularly spent time in both Europe and Asia as well as other parts of the world. She was a trailblazer in the 1960s and 70s, breaking glass ceilings, and was supported by strong mentors who believed in her ability to do it all. She was a sought after leader and mentor as well as an endless supporter of women’s careers.
Following her fashion career of nearly 30 years, Dorothy pivoted to residential real estate, joining the prestigious Corcoran Group, where she was trained directly by Barbara Corcoran and the leadership of the Madison Avenue headquarters. She enjoyed a highly fulfilling, successful and exciting second career and was known as one of the most stylish brokers in the business, working well into her later 80s.
Not long after she arrived in New York, Dorothy met and married her former husband and father of her three children, Joseph Bruce Greiner, who recently passed away in late 2025. They remained friends and fans of one another throughout their lives. Dorothy took great pride in her immediate and extended family and loved her children and grandchildren immensely. She made a point of frequently visiting her children, close family, and dear friends all over the country.
Dorothy was an explorer, a lover of the arts, especially classical and jazz music, as well as ballet and the visual arts. She took advantage of all that NYC had to offer, and beyond supporting the arts, she was always learning something new, studying bridge, piano, ballet and ballroom dancing, and writing classes, among others. She established new relationships with ease, from tennis partners in Central Park, to dance showcases, instructional classes, or chance meetings at a local coffee shop or restaurant. Dorothy rarely met a stranger. Her friends meant the world to her and she was always looking to up the “fun meter,” keeping engaged with and supportive of a mix of friends of all ages.
Dorothy kept active throughout her life and enjoyed tennis, golf, skiing, working out with trainers, or any kind of movement. Above all, her passion for ballroom dancing animated the last quarter century and inspired both dedicated lessons and traveling on cruise ships around the world for months at a time, where she continued to hone and build her dance skills. If there was a dance floor, she was on it, always attired in beautiful and fashion forward gowns.
In recent years, she was inspired to write the story of her life to share with her children and most especially her grandchildren – the history of her immigrant parents and family in what was very much an American story of striving, hardship, love, community, dedication and joy. She self-published the first of the two books and was deep at work on the second through recent weeks. She influenced countless family members and friends to pursue their dreams, stand up for their beliefs and for themselves, and find play and fun wherever and whenever they could. She loved life in all its manifestations and inspired others through the example of the life she lived.
Dorothy was a practicing Catholic her entire life, raised her family at the parish of St Thomas More in Manhattan, and found comfort and support in its teachings and community.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held, Monday, May 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the St. Edward Catholic Church, 501 Cottage Street, Ashland, Ohio 44805 with Father Rod Kreidler, presiding. Interment will follow in the Nova Cemetery. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 12:00p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: named to Food Bank of NY, https://www.foodbanknyc.org and the Lighthouse Guild, https://lighthouseguild.org.
For those who may not be able to attend, online condolences may be shared on the funeral home’s website at denbowfh.com.
Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home & Crematory is handling the arrangements.
Funeral Home: Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home
Website: https://www.denbowfh.com/