Dorothy Louise Hyatt's Obituary
Dorothy (Dottie) Louise Hyatt peacefully passed away in her sleep on December 19, 2009. She was born on September 16, 1919 in Tacoma, Washington to Raymond and Maude McKinney. She spent her youth in West Seattle, Everett, and Tacoma where she graduated from Lincoln High School in 1938.
While a senior in high school, she worked nights and weekends at the Hamrick Theater, now the Pantages Theater in downtown Tacoma. There, she met Ronald Reagan who had come to the State to promote his latest movie. She found him just as charming and down to earth as he was in future years during his presidency. Later in life, she also met celebrity Shirley Temple at a lodge on Mount Rainier.
Dottie served as a secretary at an insurance company until she married Richard Hyatt, who served on the battleship U.S.S. South Dakota. She continued her professional pursuits as a secretary for Tacoma Community College and an executive receptionist for the Weyerhaeuser Company in the International Department. While her husband was off at war, she volunteered for church sponsored United Service Organizations. After retiring, she became a homemaker.
Dottie enjoyed the outdoors and all its activities like snow shoeing, skiing, fishing, boating, and hiking. She also loved flowers and surrounded her home with them. Other hobbies included regularly listening to political talk radio shows, contributing to local newspaper opinion columns, and helping animals in need.
Dottie was a nurturing wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her beloved husband of 70 years Richard Hyatt of Pioneer Place of Tacoma; daughter Judy (Mike) LeMoine of Yelm; grandchildren Suzy (Dana) Guttormson of Renton and Jason (Tiffany) LeMoine of Olympia; and great-grandchildren Matthew and Kayla Guttormson of Renton.
Memorial services will be at the Celebration of Life Chapel Mountain View Funeral Home at 4100 Steilacoom Blvd SW in Lakewood on December 29, 2009 at 11:00AM. As you enter the memorial park, follow the blue line painted on the road to the chapel.
The family requests donations be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.
What’s your fondest memory of Dorothy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dorothy?
Share a story where Dorothy's kindness touched your heart.
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