On March 24th, 2021, Dorothy Elizabeth Kirkpatrick (née Lowe) slipped quietly from this life. Dorothy was born on March 13th, 1920, in Helen (Uniontown), PA, to Anna (d. 1993) and Paul (d. 1990) Lowe.
A strong and fiercely independent woman, she was also a loving Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Great-Great-Grandmother who cared deeply about her family, church, and community. She leaves behind her sons Barry (Judy) of Pearl, Mississippi, and Sherman (Nancy Poulin) (Teri, d. 2009) of Bradenton, Florida; grandchildren, Richy (Tracy), Kevin, and Natalie (Rusty Temple) of Mississippi; Brad (Polly) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Noel (Dee) of Lawton, Oklahoma; and several great- and great-great-grandchildren.
She moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1950 with her husband Robert (d. 2002) and their two young sons, Barry, and Sherman. She began her career as a bookkeeper in the early ‘50’s at Kirk and Pinkerton Law firm and remained there until her retirement. She then went to work at Golden Anchor Travel managing their books and accounting, where she continued into her 80’s. There, she was able to take advantage of many travel opportunities, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Dorothy was a storyteller. She loved talking about her years growing up on the farm in Pennsylvania and her beloved family, her school days, and the many adventures of her sisters and brother (all predeceased). She had the gift to bring these stories to life, and her favorite audience was the young people around her, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and their friends.
She would tell of her struggles as a young woman in the early 50’s trying to have a career while caring for her two young boys. Her difficulties became a cause for her. She was a founding member of the Sarasota Branch of the American Business Women’s Association and served as President, offering support and networking for women in the area. She was proud of her accomplishments and the struggles she was able to overcome.
Dorothy was also a woman of strong faith. When her church, Pine Shores Presbyterian, became overcrowded, she put her efforts into establishing a new one. She was a Charter member of the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, Sarasota, and worked hard at fundraising and planning. The church opened in October ’67, and she was incredibly proud that her grandson, Brad Kirkpatrick, was the 1st child to be baptized there on October 27th, 1967. Dorothy volunteered for many causes in the community and was always there when needed or called upon.
In her last years, she resided at Bay Village until in 2018, she had to give up her independence and move to a Senior Living facility. She made many strong and long-lasting friendships during her life, and she cherished these friendships. She was a woman of true character who could always be counted on and would never forget an important date. She worked hard her whole life and leaves behind many loved ones with fond memories.
Dorothy passed away at Sunny Bower Home (LTC) in Bradenton, Fl, 11 days after her 101st birthday. A testament to her life and legacy is the many, many birthday cards she received for that event.
She will be sadly missed but will live on in our memories.
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