DOROTHY WELTHIN STEVENS

NAPERVILLE - Dorothy Welthin Stevens was born October 1, 1940, in Swainby, England, to Gilbert Gledden Armstrong and Evelyn Gertrude Mary Armstrong (nee Morton). She grew up in Eaglescliffe, attended Queen Victoria High School in Stockton-on-Tees, and got her first degree at Derby Teacher's College. Dorothy came to the United States in 1964 to have "adventures," worked as a private special education school teacher, governess, and at the British Consulate in Chicagoland, traveled and hiked throughout the country, and took up folk dancing where she met her husband, Charlie Stevens. They married October 11, 1969 in Minneapolis. Dorothy completed her US teaching degree through College of DuPage (COD) and North Central College. She eventually taught kindergarten at Goodrich School in Woodridge 1986-2004. She developed many of her own curricula, particularly Math in Motion, a hands-on early childhood teaching method. Dorothy was fascinated by and insightful about the potential of young children. Dorothy took great pride in and care of her garden, sharing plants with friends and teaching many about plant names. She pursued many art activities in her basement craft room, and found her greatest joy in painting which she did with the Naperville Art League for many years. Dorothy loved to travel and hiked through natural areas on all her trips around the US and world. She returned to England many times on her own and with her family, instilling in her children a love of her homeland. She loved to see what young people were capable of, find homemade solutions for problems, and be aware of the latest news. She loved nature and art and instilled a love of these things in her children and grandchildren. She had a natural enthusiasm for swimming, conservation, and family history. Dorothy died surrounded by her family on December 24, 2023, in Naperville, IL, from complications of gallbladder cancer. On learning of her diagnosis, she said there was nothing else she felt she needed to do and spent her remaining time with her large network of dedicated family and friends. She is survived by her sister, Sylvia; her son, Brett (Joelle Mader); daughter, Hanna (Gordon Buchanan); and granddaughters, Greta, Wendy, and Emily. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 2 pm at the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church at 1828 Old Naperville Rd., Naperville. Dorothy and her husband Charlie's remains will be interred in the Naperville Cemetery columbarium. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to a scholarship fund set up at COD (https://foundation.cod.edu/stevens/) or alternatively to other causes Dorothy valued: UNICEF (www.unicef.org), or public broadcasting (the station of your choice).