Dorothy Burns Huggins was born on July 28, 1919 near Wilsey, Kansas to Cy and Alta Watkinson Burns. She passed from this life on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at the Life Care Center of Skagit Valley in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
Dorothy attended a one room country school house and later graduated from Diamond Valley High School in Burdick, Kansas.
She held a number of jobs in her home area before moving to Wichita, Kansas to work for the Boeing Company during WWII. While working at Boeing in 1943, she received an invitation to visit California from the handsome ‘boy down the road’, Roland Huggins, who was then serving in the U.S. Navy in San Francisco. When she arrived there he proposed and they were united in marriage at the Glide Memorial Methodist Church in downtown San Francisco on September 11, 1943.
After the war, they came to Sedro-Woolley where Roland and his brother, Ray had started Sedro-Woolley Auto Parts in 1938. Dorothy built a rich life for herself along with Roland in Sedro-Woolley, where she was active with many groups and organizations. She worked in her church, the Central United Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, member of the United Methodist Women, and member of many social and service groups in the church. Dorothy was a Cub Scout Den Mother for many years, worked with the local Parents Teachers Association, and was for many years a member of the Skagit Rock and Gem Club, the Concerned Citizens of Sedro-Woolley, the TOPS group of Sedro-Woolley, and the Sedro-Woolley Senior Center.
Through these organizations she made many lifelong friends who will miss her greatly. Dorothy was a die hard Seattle Mainers and Sonics fan who loved following the teams and discussing the games with her friends, especially Eva Klevgard and Adele Barnett. She also enjoyed camping and rock hounding traveling in their motor home and spending time as snowbirds in Arizona.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Josiah Libby Cy Burns and Georgia AltaWatkinson Burns, her brother John Robert Burns, and her husband of nearly 50 years Roland Huggins who passed away in March of 1993.
She is survived by her sons, Don Huggins and his wife Linda of Concrete and Dale Huggins and his wife Gail of Sedro-Woolley. Her grandson, Brian Huggins and his wife Sherronda of Mukilteo; granddaughters, Georgia Bailey and her husband Rob of Redmond and Carly Pearson and her husband John of Cle Elum; a grandson, Loren Huggins and his wife Marie of Clear Lake, and a granddaughter, Erin Huggins and her boyfriend Johnny McConnel of Bellingham. A great-grandson, Tristin Huggins of Mukilteo and a great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Pearson of Cle Elum. A sister-in-law, Velma Huggins Walker and her husband Sam of Sedro-Woolley and numerous nieces and nephews. Her family will miss her loving and generous spirit greatly.
Her family would like to thank the nursing staff at the Life Care Center of Skagit Valley, the staff at United General Hospital, Dr. Dale Abbott, his partners, and their staff, and her many friends who have offered us much love and support during her illness.
A Graveside Inurnment Service will be at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery with a Memorial Celebration of Life Service to follow at the Central United Methodist Church in Sedro-Woolley on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 2:00PM with Pastor Marilyn Kallshian officiating with a reception to follow the services at the church. All of her friends are invited to attend and share favorite stories and memories of Dorothy. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Central United Methodist Church. Arrangements and Services under the care of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.
