Born: February 22, 1929
Died: January 24, 2016

Dorothy Gail Gartrell Van Dyck died in Ft. Worth on January 24, 2016. She was 86 years old. The youngest of four siblings born to Mildred and Irving Gartrell, Dorothy entered this world on February 22, 1929. She was born and raised in Clay Center, Nebraska, where her mother was a teacher and her father was an early doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). After graduating high school in Clay Center, Dorothy received a bachelor's degree in music education from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1950, and a master's degree in counseling psychology at the University of Nebraska in 1952.

Dorothy studied piano from a very young age and often played for her church in Clay Center. She earned a scholarship to study music, but she decided in college that performance would not be her profession, but an avocation. She enjoyed, appreciated, and supported music her entire life.

During her teenage years, Dorothy developed an interest in the concept of achieving peace through non-violent means. As a young adult, she became part of a group devoted to the study of pacifism where she met her future husband, Harry Van Dyck, who had been a conscientious objector during World War II. They were married in December 1951 until Harry's death in August 1999. Their dedication to the principles of pacifism remained an important part of their life together.

After moving permanently to Denton in 1963, Dorothy devoted much of her life to raising her two sons, Charlie and Chris. Charlie was profoundly mentally handicapped from birth, and Dorothy and Harry worked tirelessly together to ensure that Charlie could live at home as long as possible. Eventually, Charlie became a resident at the Denton State School, where Dorothy and Harry committed countless hours of volunteer service. Charlie passed away at age 35, on April 5, 1989, the same day that Dorothy's first grandchild, Spencer, was born.

Dorothy was always interested in politics. She campaigned and volunteered for several candidates of the Democratic Party, and she served as Democratic precinct chair for many years. Dorothy also worked at several jobs relying on her master's degree in counseling psychology. She worked as a consulting psychometrist for special education at the Denton and Lewisville independent school districts; and during the 1970s, she worked as a counselor for Planned Parenthood of Northeast Texas. In the early 1980s, she worked for Voertman's book store where she enjoyed interacting with students from UNT and made many friends.

Throughout her life, Dorothy sustained a commitment to volunteerism and providing service to others. She served in various leadership and service capacities for several organizations including the League of Women Voters, the Denton Association for Retarded Children, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Denton County Democratic Party, and the Denton State School.

Of all her volunteer service, Dorothy derived her greatest satisfaction working as a volunteer, board member and eventually the chairperson for the Denton Community Food Center (2001–2008). Dorothy thrived in her service to the Food Center, where she developed several close friends who remained dear to her heart until the day she died.

After her retirement in 2008, Dorothy pursued her loves of spending time with her family and friends, watching movies, tracking college football (especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers), working puzzles, feeding birds and squirrels, and nurturing a yard full of plants and flowers. She attended musical events at UNT and supported the Bach Society in Denton. She also had a strong interest in family history and attended several Gartrell family reunions around the country. In 2014, she spent months researching her father's career as a DO in rural Nebraska, discovering his political work as a lobbyist in that state to recognize DOs as legitimate health providers. In what was perhaps her final project, Dorothy, at age 85, wrote a piece called "My Dad, the Lobbyist!" for her extended family.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Harry (1999) and son Charlie (1989). Also preceding her in death were her parents and her three siblings (Jean Hubbell, Jinny Rippeteau, and Lee Gartrell). She is survived by her son Chris and daughter in law Kim of Fort Worth; grandson Spencer and his wife Breanna; grandson Connor and his wife Michelle and their son, Aiden; and granddaughter Claire. Although often physically separated from her family by many miles, Dorothy was able to visit them frequently and she always remained very close to her family.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 1:00 PM in the chapel of Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, 705 N. Locust, Denton, TX, visitation will follow the services.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Denton Community Food Center at:
Denton Community Food Center
P.O. Box 2121
Denton, TX 76202-2121
www.dentoncfc.org