Dorothy Anderton Williams "Dottie" 1920 ~ 2009 "On this mortal stage beneaththe Sun, In the longest play that's ever run, We dance in the act that's never done, As the cast has changed, one by one." The final curtain call on this mortal stage of life came for Dottie Williams in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 5, 2009. She was a class act in all her roles and faced the challenges with unconditional love, faith, compassion, and generosity. She was blessed with a delightful sense of humor, and entertained her family and friends with amusing and affectionate memory snap shots of the small town where she was born. Born to Charles Isaac Anderton and Eva Wilson Anderton, Dottie attended schools in Henefer and Coalville. After graduating from L.D.S. Business College in Salt Lake City, she accepted a position at the First National Bank of Coalville. In 1941 she married her high school sweetheart, Floyd David Williams, and moved to Camp Roberts, California where he was stationed as an officer in the U. S. Army. This was her introduction to the nomadic life as an Army wife, which lasted for 30 years. During 28 moves from pillar to post, three major wars, the birth of two beautiful daughters and long separations from her husband as he marched off to wars with no guarantee of survival, Dottie faced the challenging role of keeping the family intact with patience and optimism. In 1969, the family moved to Salt Lake City, where Colonel Williams was assigned as Army Advisor to the Utah National Guard. The next years were secure and eventful: the purchase of a home, the marriage of the daughters, and the birth of a grand-daughter, Dottie's blessing and reward for growing older. Dottie lived in many states in America, Japan, Okinawa, and traveled to other places like China and Formosa. She also enjoyed two trips to Europe, one with her husband after his retirement, and one with her then 12-year-old granddaughter. Dottie was a talented and versatile lady throughout her life. She was an excellent bridge player and taught a class for the military wives at Camp Youngans, Japan. A few of her favorite things, in addition to her family, included music, especially playing piano duets with her granddaughter, reading, working cross-word puzzles with a pen, walking, gardening, travel, and most of all, volunteering to serve others. Dottie's volunteer service included working as a Red Cross Nurses' Aid at the Army Hospital at Ft. Monroe, Virginia and playing for Sing-a-Longs in the psychiatric ward of the Virginia Veterans' Hospital. In Okinawa, she served as Red Cross Chairperson where she inaugurated a highly successful Cookies Lift in the early part of 1965 in which a minimum of 60-dozen cookies were baked by American wives, collected, and delivered to hospitals in Viet Nam by the United States Air Force. After she moved to Salt Lake City, Dottie was appointed as Red Cross Recognition Chairperson at a local chapter. She also served two terms as a member of the Utah Governor's Council for Health and Physical Fitness and one term as the Chairperson of the Senior Fitness Task Force. She was presented a plaque for her outstanding contribution to fitness by Governor Matheson in 1982. With support from the Fitness Council and colleagues Louann Stogdill and Nanci Robey, she created and conducted the Utah Sit and Stay Fit exercise program, which was designed for persons who were physically unable to participate in more strenuous activities. This exercise program was successful in hospitals, Senior Citizen Centers, Health-care Centers, churches, universities, and conferences, and on radio and television in Utah and other states. At the completion of each exercise, Dottie played the piano while Nanci led the singing group in an enthusiastic sing-a-long. Dottie was also a volunteer for The Family Support Center for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and enjoyed teaching several classes in the L.D.S. Relief Society - she also attended a non-denominational Bible Study class for six years. Dottie is survived by her family: daughters Arlie Zolynas (husband Al), Escondido, California; and Robyn Drown, (husband Brad), Draper, Utah; granddaughter Dana Peterson (husband Bill Faries), Buenos Aires, Argentina; sister Edna A. Williams, Queen Creek, Arizona; sisters-in-law Maxine Williams Hill (husband Wesley Hill), Vancouver, Washington; Sharlene Anderton, Henefer, Utah; Marselle B. Williams, Coalville, Utah. Dottie was blessed with a loving, supporting cast in all her roles: family, extended family, neighbors, home helpers, doctors, nurses, and many others who contributed to the rich tapestry of her life. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband (The Colonel, who died in 2003 after 62 years of marriage), sisters Ruth Burton and Ruby Arnold; brother Grant Wilson Anderton (killed in World War II); and brother Charles Ray Anderton; brothers-in-law Jack Arnold, Dee Burton, Robert Williams. The family deeply appreciates the support and love of friends and caregivers. Friends may call at the Cannon Mortuary, 2460 E. Bengal Blvd. (7600 S.) Tuesday, June 9, 2009 from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association .

Published in Deseret News from June 6 to June 7, 2009