Dorothy Anne Rath (Dottie) passed away peacefully at her home in Port Townsend, Washington on June 1, 2020 at 7 p.m., after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Dorothy lived a full life beginning with her birth in Winthrop, Kennebec Maine on December 20, 1933. The youngest daughter of Richmond and Francis Sargent, the family moved to Washington state with their five children in 1939, eventually settling in Richland, Washington where she attended high school with her sisters Helen, Betty and Mary as well as her brother Charles, and she graduated with the class of 1951 Bombers. Dorothy attended Washington State University (WSU) and met the love of her life, Dennis Rath. They were married in 1954 and were blessed with three children, David, Cindi and Steve. Dorothy, Dennis and the family moved to Forks, Washington and Dennis began his high school teaching and coaching career. They moved to Grand Coulee in the early 1960s, and eventually to Prosser, Washington in 1967. While in Prosser, Dorothy worked at the WSU Agricultural Research and Extension Center for many years.
In 1993 after Dennis retired, they decided to move back to the Olympic Peninsula that they fell in love with while living in Forks. They bought their dream home in Port Townsend, Kala Point. Dorothy and Dennis spent 27 happy years together at Kala Point, and were blessed with many thoughtful friends and neighbors. Their passion was tending to their yard as well as their beautiful garden, and spent much time and effort there which showed to great abundance. Dorothy was a member of the Kala Point garden club. She also served the Port Townsend community with 20 years of service at the community food bank. Dorothy also loved to read, was an excellent cook, and was very interested in genealogy and the Civil War era.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her devoted husband Dennis, who passed on October 22, 2019, her parents Richmond and Francis Sargent, her amazing sisters Helen Bell and Mary Scow, and her brother John Sargent, who died in a tragic accident at a young age. Dorothy is survived by her children David, Cindi and Steve, as well as her wonderful brother and sister, Charles Sargent and Betty Bowles, and her grandchildren Kelsey Arroyo and Jason Kiehn, as well as great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Ava, Scarlett, Viviene, Raely and Aisley, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
