Dorothy Telford Stevenson Wilson 8/10/1911 ~ 3/3/2011
Dorothy Anna Telford was born in Lincoln, Idaho, August 10, 1911 to John Witt Telford and Martha Starr Rockwood. After graduating from Idaho Falls High School, she attended Chaffy College, the University of North Dakota (where her brother was a professor) and received her BS in Zoology from the University of Idaho and her RN from Stanford University in 1934. No profession other than nursing ever occurred to her. She was inspired by her mother, who was in the first class of nurses to graduate from St. Marks Hospital in Salt Lake City. Her mother actively practiced nursing in her Idaho community and was highly respected. In 1937, Dorothy married Ralph Richards Stevenson, MD and moved to Washington D.C. where they ran an active medical practice. While there, she did graduate work at Catholic University and associated with many outstanding people in the political and medical arenas. With the end of her marriage, she worked at the National Academy of Sciences as a research assistant. She then moved to California where in 1961 she married James Woodrow Wilson who was in the Air Force. They lived in Fairfield, CA. She had a Specialist Rating in Psychiatric Nursing and worked at the Napa State Hospital. With a Specialist Rating also in Occupational Health Nursing, she was Nursing Supervisor for 10 years at American Home Foods in Vacaville, CA until retirement in 1978. An avid reader and constant learner, she enjoyed many courses at Solano College. With Dr. Gene Felton, MD, a colleague from her Stanford days, she did collaborative research for a text book in Occupational Health Nursing. She was an accomplished needleworker in quilting and embroidery and was constantly involved with good books, current affairs, and classical music. She entertained guests and family with stories of her interesting and eventful life. Her life experiences rivaled those in many of the books she read. After the death of her husband on April 18, 2000, Dorothy moved to South Jordan to be near her daughter, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. She is survived by three children: Edward Telford Stevenson of Arlington VA, Sharon Blonquist of Westlake Village CA, and Ann Fraughton of South Jordan, UT. She has ten grandchildren, 34 great and three great great grandchildren. Her fourth child, Ralph Richards Stevenson, Jr. preceded her in death as did Samantha, a great grandchild. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 8, 11 a.m. at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Chapel, 10600 South 1950 East with a viewing from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Interment, Larkin Sunset Gardens.