Dorothy Ann Halverson was born May 31, 1933, in Sauk Centre, MN to Inez and Henry Halverson. The family moved to Forks, WA in 1939 during the Great Depression. After a short time as caretakers on Doc Ford’s farm north of Forks, the family bought a house near the Bogachiel River which had no electricity until after WWII.
Dorothy graduated from Forks High School in 1951 as an honor student, receiving the PTA College Scholarship, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Scholarship, and the American Legion Auxiliary Citizenship Award. She was an active member of 4-H and won several trips to the State 4-H Fair at Yakima.
In 1955 Dorothy graduated from Washington State College (now Washington State University) in Pullman, Washington. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Home Economics. While attending the university she met her husband James Blodgett of Prosser, Washington.
During the 1955/1956 school year Dorothy taught Home Economics in the Junior and Senior High Schools at Colville Washington. At Colville, she was also advisor to the Future Homemakers of America Chapter.
In the fall of 1956, she lived and worked in the Philippines as part of the International Farm Youth Exchange Program (IFYE) which promotes world peace through international understanding. During the assignment she published reports of her travels in several local newspapers including the Forks Forum and made many speeches upon her return.
Four days after returning to Forks, Dorothy married James Blodgett at the Congregational Church in 1956 and started their married life in Aberdeen, Washington where their daughters Barbara and Kathryn were born.
In 1959 James took a job with the United States Geological Survey and the family moved to Tacoma, Washington. In 1967 the family moved to Sacramento, California where their sons Peter and Richard were born. Dorothy became active in the PTA and volunteered at an elementary school library. In 1978 she became the full-time librarian and retired in 1997.
Dorothy was an active member of Northminster Presbyterian Church. She had many hobbies including gardening, canning, sewing, and quilting, and looked forward to reading the Forks Forum every week.
Dorothy Blodgett passed away on June 29, 2021, at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her brother John Halverson, granddaughter, Kristen Blodgett and her husband James Blodgett. She is survived by her siblings Gene Halverson and Richard Halverson, children Barbara Briggs, Kathryn Blodgett, Peter Blodgett, and Richard Blodgett and granddaughter Nicole Briggs. A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. August 14, 2021 at Northminster Presbyterian Church, Sacramento, CA.
