She was born in Chicago IL on November 1, 1938, to Chester L and Marie D (Mehok) DeBat. She attended Waller High School (now Lincoln Park High School) and focused on art. In September 1957, she married her high school sweetheart, William Eugene “Gene” Galbraith in Los Angeles CA, while he was serving in the USMC at Twentynine Palms, CA.
Dorothy had a lifelong love for animals which she inherited from her father. Growing up near Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL, Dorothy was a frequent visitor and it became her daily playground. She, however, always had a special place in her heart for dogs. From a young age, she worked for dog kennels and did every job from cleaning the pens to learning the ropes and becoming a handler for show dogs. She loved to garden, read, watch classic films, and express her creativity through every art form, from painting and drawing to crafting and design.
Dorothy is survived by her son, William “Scott” Galbraith (Jeanette Delfino); her daughter, Victoria M Strong; stepdaughter, Sarah R Galbraith; ten grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and twenty-two nieces and nephews – greats included; and her brother, Donald J DeBat (Sara Benson).
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Gene; her sons, Robert “Robbie” L and Gerald “Jerry” E; son-in-law, Christopher M Strong; and a brother, Alfred L DeBat.
A visitation will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 10:30AM until 12:30PM at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake IL 60014 with burial following at Crystal Lake Memorial Park in Ridgefield IL. If you wish to contribute to a memorial, please donate to your local Humane Society in Dorothy’s name.
