Dorothy Astwood

Dorothy Byrd Astwood, age 83, passed away on August 31, 2010 at Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, Arizona after a lengthy battle with cancer. Dorothy was born on January 17, 1927 in the Bermuda Islands to Charles Hamilton Jones and Alice Lydia Oglee Jones. She was the first of two children. Dorothy was raised in Bermuda and attended schools there. She later graduated from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1947 with a Bachelors degree in business administration with a major in accounting. She returned to Bermuda and began working at the Bank of Bermuda and American International. She met Norman Astwood in Bermuda when he came looking for cedar wood for carving. They later married on September 2, 1948 making their home in Warwick, Bermuda and as is the custom in that area called their home "Crosswinds." Their first son Norman Stuart was born on January 26, 1955. He passed away as a toddler on November 10, 1956. Their second son Steven Ralph was born on June 19, 1956. Shortly thereafter in 1957, the family moved to Maine where Norman worked as a draftsman and Dorothy worked as a secretary-accountant for the superintendent of schools in Hampden, Maine. Their third son David Wayne was born on September 17, 1961. Dorothy and Norman both continued to work until retiring in 1980. They moved to Wickenburg, Arizona, arriving on September 10, 1987. They both had a love for the desert and were avid "rock hounds." Upon arriving in Wickenburg they made a faith commitment to Jesus Christ and joined the Calvary Baptist Church. Dorothy was very active in the church, serving as church secretary for many years and as a worker in AWANA. Later she served on the church missions committee. She was also a member of the Wickenburg Gem & Mineral Society. She was preceded in death by her husband Norman who died on December 20, 1988. Dorothy continued to be active in the church and served as a volunteer with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Warrenton, Missouri. Dorothy is survived by her son, Steven Ralph Astwood and daughter-in-law, Jean, of Westbrook, Maine and her son, David Wayne Astwood of San Antonio, Texas. She is also survived by her brother, Charles Albert Jones and sister-in-law, Barbara, of Newark, Delaware and two nieces, Laura Barton and Robyn Hansen. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 10:00 AM at Calvary Baptist Church in Wickenburg with visitation one hour prior to services and interment to follow in the Wickenburg Municipal Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions in Dorothy's memory be made to the Calvary Baptist Church Mission Fund.