Dorothy (Bettger) Aitken passed away April 13, 2015.

She was born Feb. 13, 1927, to parents John and Lydia and raised on the family farm in Fairmont, Neb., with her three older brothers: John, Robert and Gilbert. After graduating high school she held numerous jobs including being a model, waitress, bookkeeper and teacher’s aide; but her greatest accomplishment was being a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.

She moved to Needles in the mid-1950s where she met and married James Aitken, who joined her in raising her son, Gregory, and dog, Mindy. They then adopted two other children, Eric and Jami.

She was an active, resourceful, independent and beautiful woman who loved others unconditionally. Many Needles residents remember her for her famous Mexican dinners which often included a big pot of spicy beans, chile verde and homemade tortillas.

Gatherings were popular at the Aitken home with Dorothy acting as hostess: first at the Arizona Ranch, the pool and patio on Desoto, and then on the big back porch at the California river property. She was a strong and dynamic woman who could shoot a rattlesnake, feed 30 people, and then rock the baby to sleep.

She was preceded in death by Jim, her husband of 57 years; and her sons, Eric and Greg.

Left to honor her memory are her daughter, Jami; daughter-in-law, Beth; grandchildren, Jimmy, Michael, Lydia, Sarah and Emily; her brother, Robert; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the research and cure of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or cancer, or to the Aitken Family Scholarship fund through the class of 1965 at Needles High School.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at Mohave Valley United Methodist Church on Lipan Dr. at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 17.