Sept. 10, 1928 - July 24, 2009

Dorothy Marie (Stapleton) Altree, 80, of Albany left us Friday to join our Lord.

She was born in Marysville, Wash., to John and Edna Stapleton, immigrants from Newfoundland. She was raised by her father, following the early death of her mother. The family homesteaded in the rural outskirts of Toledo. There she and her two brothers survived through hard work and a determination by her father to make a better life in this new country. She graduated from Toledo High School in 1946 and soon thereafter met and married her longtime husband Wayne E. Altree.

The couple relocated to Southern California in search of work and ultimately raised their family in the Lancaster, Calif., area. Wayne was a deputy sheriff for Los Angeles County and Dorothy worked for many years as a waitress and for Los Angeles County as an administrative assistant. They retired in the late '70s, returning to Oregon and a small farm east of Lebanon.

She was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Albany, often times working in the soup kitchen. She loved gardening, feeding her birds and of course caring for the needs of her beloved dog Sarah. She was quite active and made many friends at the Mennonite Village, her place of residence for the past 15 years.

She is survived by her son, John, and his wife, Chris, of Amity; daughter Joan of Fresno, Calif.; brothers Thomas Stapleton of Salem and Robert Stapleton of Gladstone; five grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a large family; and many friends.

Following her wishes, a private funeral Mass will be at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Albany for the immediate family.