Dorothy Hope (Frantz) Stafford January 7, 1916 ' October 17, 2013

Born on a farm near Holmesville, Nebraska, to Lottie and Harrison Frantz, Dorothy was the youngest of three children - following sister Helen and brother Russell. The family moved to California where Dorothy earned a bachelor's degree in teaching from La Verne College, where during her college years she was in a vocal quartet.

During World War II, while visiting a camp for conscientious objectors with her father, a Brethren minister, Dorothy met William Stafford. They immediately recognized their shared love of books and language. They were married in 1944, and after the war the couple moved to Portland, where Bill took a position teaching English at Lewis and Clark.

Dorothy and Bill traveled with, read to, encouraged and nurtured their four children, Bret, Kim, Kit and Barbara. Dorothy taught for years in the Lake Oswego School District.

The Stafford family came to Central Oregon to camp and explore starting in the 1950s, bought a lot and built a house in the 1970s and made many dear friends over the years. Dorothy loved her time in Sisters.

She will be remembered by scores of students, friends, and a grateful family as a woman of great integrity, lively wit, and contagious energy. Her love of the people in her life inspired beautiful correspondence saved by many. She had warmth, radiance, a quick laugh, and just the right joke for any occasion. All who knew her will miss Dorothy. Her smile was the light in the room.

Dorothy Stafford is survived by three of her children, Kim Stafford and Barbara Stafford Wilson of Portland, and Kit Stafford of Sisters; by her niece Julie Frantz; seven grandchildren.

A celebration of Dorothy's life will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, November 3, at the Agnes Flanagan Chapel on the campus of Lewis & Clark College, with a reception following. For further information, contact Mark Duntley at [email protected] In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Dorothy Stafford's lifelong devotion to reading and education can be sent to Literary Arts, 925 S.W. Washington St., Portland, OR, 97213.