Dorothy was the daughter of the late Henry J. Burmeister and the late Dorothy Grace (Howland) Burmeister. She was raised in the Brooklyn area of New York City and in rural Pennsylvania, experiences that helped shape the steady strength and quiet wisdom that so many came to rely on. She attended Loyalsock High School in Dushore, Pennsylvania, and continued her education at Mansfield State Teachers College in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. Her dedication to learning and to serving others culminated in earning a B.A. in Elementary Education from Southern Oregon College, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1963.
Dorothy devoted her working life to care, excellence, and thoughtful service. She was an outstanding elementary school teacher, known for her patience and understanding. She later brought that same diligence and steady competence to her work as a Marketing Research Specialist at Central Point Software, and as a Product Management and Artist Relations Specialist at Second Nature Software. In every setting, her kindness, calm presence, and wise decisions left a lasting impression.
On July 20, 1963, Dorothy married Arthur Donovan Hitt in Gilchrist, Oregon. They met as college students in 1962 in Ashland, Oregon, beginning a partnership marked by devotion and enduring love. Dorothy’s family—and her church family—were at the center of her life, and she gave of herself with a caring heart and a spirit that made others feel seen and valued.
A faithful member of the Church of Christ from 1995 until her passing, Dorothy’s life reflected a deep and steady commitment to her Lord. She was, in the words so many will remember, “ALWAYS SMILING!”—a joy to be in the presence of—strong, loving, kind, and wise, with a patient faith that steadied and encouraged those around her.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her father, Henry J. Burmeister; her mother, Dorothy Grace Burmeister; her daughter, Kaylin (Hitt) Dodge and son-in-law, Ian Dodge [Ian passed away from brain cancer not very long before Kaylin died of liver cancer]; her step-sisters, Elizabeth Burmeister and Connie Burmeister; her brother-in-law, Tyra Hitt; and her grandson, Michael.
Dorothy is survived by her husband, Arthur Hitt; her daughter, Patricia (Hitt) Randolph (Mark Randolph); her grandchildren, Jordan, Harrison, Logan, Marin, Kristan, Kimberleigh; her sister, Linda (Burmeister) Swanson-Davies (Gary); her sister, Susan Burmeister-Brown (Michael); her brother, Theodore Burmeister (Thu); her step-sister, Vickie Burmeister; her nephews, Tate and Oliver Burmeister; her niece, Erin Porozne (Grahm Porozne); her niece’s children, Pierce and Amelie Porozne; her sister-in-law, Sharon Hitt; her brother-in-law, John Hitt (Lisa); her sister-in-law, Jeanine Hitt; her nieces and nephew, Shannon, Traci, Angie, and Jacob; and extended family, Hadush and Kimete Aliaj; Fatjona (Aliaj) and Blake and Benjamin Parker; Renato, Rachel, and Ledrian Aliaj; and Nicoleta and Armando Llojku.
Dorothy has been laid to rest at Skyline Memorial Gardens, 4101 NW Skyline Blvd, Portland.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make a donation in Dorothy’s honor to World English Institute (WEI), 1525 NW Division Street, Gresham, OR 97030, United States, https://worldenglishinstitute.org/. Dorothy thought highly of WEI as a church-related outreach effort, and such a gift would be a meaningful tribute to the faith and care that guided her life.
