Dorothy B. Haughton Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Newfields – Dorothy Bischoff Haughton, 87, of Newfields, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, April 1, 2019 surrounded by her loving and devoted family. Known as the First Lady of harness racing, Dorothy Haughton was born in Chappaqua, New York on December 9, 1931, the daughter of the late Whitney H. and Esther L. (Linder) Bischoff. A graduate of Chappaqua High School, Dorothy went on to become a licensed X-ray technician and worked at Westchester Medical Center. Dottie Haughton grew up watching her father, Whitney Bischoff, race horses at the fairs around the Goshen, New York area. He was also a judge at Yonkers Raceway. One day he invited a talented 27-year-old horseman named Bill Haughton home for dinner. Bill asked 19-year-old Dottie to the track to jog a horse. About a month later, they were married. The young couple settled in Oyster Bay, Long Island to raise their family, which grew to include five children. The family’s equine exploits were diverse. Mrs. Haughton and her husband even drove a team of horses in the inaugural parade for President Ronald Reagan. In the late 1970s son Peter became a top trainer, driver and respected representative of harness racing. His tragic death in a car accident in 1980 sent shock waves throughout the sport. Later that same year, Peter’s horse Burgomeister won the 1980 Hambletonian at DuQuoin for the Haughton family. In 1986 husband Bill died from injuries sustained in a multi-horse racing accident at Yonkers Raceway. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Haughton became an active and ardent supporter of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame and served as a trustee and secretary for over 26 years. She became an Honorary Member of United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) in 1995. Sports Illustrated magazine presented her with an Award of Merit and USHWA presented her with its Good Guy Award. Of all the awards she had received through the years, Mrs. Haughton regarded her 1964 “Mother of the Year” the best of them all. Dorothy was a genuine, lovely person full of grace and class who had a sincere love of the sport of harness racing and an enormous capacity to handle its ups and downs. A self-described “homemaker, mother and grandmother,” Dorothy was also an avid gardener and horticulturist, cultivating many varieties of flowers and showing them all over Long Island. Her gardening talents saw her win the Sweepstakes Award Horticulture & Artistic Design five times. She maintained the beautiful gardens and grounds at her home in Newfields until her passing. Family members include her children, Billy Haughton of Deerfield Beach, FL, Thomas Haughton of Loxahatchee, FL, Cameron Haughton of Wayne, NJ and Holley Tufano and her husband, Gerard Porteus of Newfields. She also leaves her grandchildren, Tommy Haughton and his wife Lauren, Billy Haughton, Jake Tufano, Peter Tufano and his wife, Elizabeth, Katie Haughton, and Cameron Haughton, her great granddaughter Cora Tufano and most important lifetime family friend and best caregiver anyone could ever have, Mary Tatum, and Dot’s little Shih Tzu puppy, Timmy. Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 6 PM on Sunday, April 7, 2019 and again on Monday, April 8 from 3 to 5 PM in the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home - Crematory, 811 Lafayette Rd., Hampton. A Prayer service will follow the Monday visitation starting at 5 PM in the funeral home. A Celebration of Life will be held in July at the Harness Racing Museum followed by burial in the Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury, NY where she can rest in peace with the loves of her life, Dad and Peter. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame 240 Main St., Goshen, New York 10924 or to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation 42 Arneytown-Hornerstown Rd., Cream Ridge, NJ 08514.

Dorothy B. Haughton

December 9, 1931 - April 1, 2019