Dorothy was born and reared in Missouri. Her mother died very young. Her father, (who was a twin), was very outgoing. He raised Dorothy and her four siblings alone during the depression after his wife died. She is 79 years old.

Her husband worked in pipeline construction, and this took them all over the country. They had a mobile home and just moved with his work. She returned home to rural Missouri in 1968, a year after her husband died. Dorothy and her husband had four children. Their eldest, a daughter, died four and a half years ago of cancer. Two daughters and one son survive. She also has 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She has a grandson who graduated from West Point. He is now in charge of peace keeping in Russia, and is assigned to the embassy in Moscow. Dorothy is a widow; she and her husband were married 31 years before he died.

A normal day for Dorothy includes volunteer work at the local senior center. She works there Monday, Tuesday, and Friday mornings. Wednesdays she works there on an "as needed" basis only. Some of her duties include answering phones and volunteering for OATS. The OATS bus runs one Saturday each month, and Dorothy shares that duty with two others. And, there are the card games and the dances, both of which she enjoys. Thursday is her "work at home day." She spends her weekends and holidays with her children. Dorothy also belongs to a Singles Club, and they have activities about once a month.

Asked if she traveled much, Dorothy answered, "Each summer I take a good trip. This year I went to Florida, to watch my granddaughter run in a national track meet. That was quite a thrill. She didn't place first, but it was quite an honor for her just to be participating in it." While she doesn't attend church regularly, she does belong to the Baptist Church.

The thing that makes Dorothy feel good about what she does is: "Realizing that I can help somebody else. I can still go visit nursing homes, take friends and neighbors to the doctor, or whatever. I guess the only thing I feel bad about is I'm sorry I can't do more than I can. I have some problems with my legs, and I can't walk as good as I once could." Due to the nature of her husband's career, she has lived in Canada, and has been in all 48 of the contiguous states.

Dorothy had worked for 25 years, so she really missed the daily contact and interaction with people when she retired. When an acquaintance (who was also an administrator at the local senior center) asked her to go and help, she willingly complied. "I went, I liked it, I volunteered, and I've been there ever since," she said.

Her first employment was working as a hospital kitchen manager in another state, and in her words, "I loved that job. When we first came back to Missouri, I went to work at a home for wayward girls -- which was later turned into a prison for women -- and let me tell you that was an education!"

Asked what she does that is 'really her,' Dorothy responded, "I just try to treat people well. I am what I am; I don't put on any 'airs.'" Her family and friends are of utmost importance to Dorothy. In her words, "If you have family and friends, you can get by with a lot less of everything else."

Her advice to others about aging successfully would be as follows: "Do the same things I do. Get out and visit. Help somebody. It's a big mistake to not help somebody. You can make yourself sick or depressed, but you can help yourself get over it, too." She thinks others may refer to her as aging successfully, because, she said, "I always had a good outlook. I hope I come across that way to others. And, I try to be a good person."

If a problem arises, Dorothy would handle it by first asking the Lord for help. She also tries to talk things over with her children. "Then," she says, "I just handle it the best way I can." Does she worry about problems? "I guess I do. I do try to work through problems, though. And, then, I talk with friends and children."

Dorothy said she did a little financial, social, and physical preparation for her aging years earlier, but she says, "It seems like it's just come naturally. I've learned to handle problems over the years." She feels she has an adequate income to do the things she really wants to do because, in her words, "As you get older your wants get less. I don't have a new car, but I don't need one. I have enough money to take care of my needs." She is a long-time member of the Eastern Star, and the Baptist church.

Regarding travel, Dorothy takes a vacation trip each summer with friends. Last year she traveled to the northwest with three friends, and has also taken a bus trip to the Northeast with a seniors group from central Missouri.

Regarding preparation for aging, Dorothy said, "Anything you work in, you learn, and consequently you get prepared for the future." Because she and her family moved around in pipeline construction they had lots of close friends -- since the construction workers all pretty much moved together. When asked the mental frame of mind that best describes her, Dorothy replied, "I think I'm pretty civil minded. I'm not senile, and I'm pretty positive about my life." Has her current attitude changed recently? "No. What would she do if she could start life over? "I've always had a pretty good attitude. I've had a good life, and I don't know as I'd change it. I've raised good kids. Who knows. . . I might make more mistakes if I did it again than I made the first time around."

2001 UPDATE: Dorothy wrote to say that she is still doing fine and going strong. In November, 1999 -- not long after our first interview -- Dorothy celebrated her 80th birthday. Her children had a party for her, and 130 friends and family members attended! She received 150 cards, lots of flowers and many other gifts . . . but the best part of it for Dorothy was seeing all of her family and friends who attended the party.

In June 2000, Dorothy was named Female Volunteer of the Year in her county, and she was especially delighted because she was chosen by her peers for the honor. She closed her letter with, "I hope to do more this year."