Obituary of Dorothy Sanazaro

Dorothy Keane Sanazaro, 90, of Boulder, CO died February 10, 2013 of Alzheimer's disease. A Memorial Service will be held April 13, 2013 at 10:00 AM at Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, 3262 N. 61st St., Boulder. A reception will follow. Dorothy was born July 29, 1922 in Butte, MT to Robert and Elizabeth "Nell" (Regan) Keane. After serving in the United States Navy WAVES, raising four children and volunteering for many years with groups serving the mentally ill and homeless people, Dorothy went back to school to become a medical unit secretary. She worked full-time for over 20 years, retiring from Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. when she was in her early 70's. Dorothy was passionate about politics and was a lifelong Democrat, participating in the third pivotal 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. She was also an active member of Westminster Church in Washington, D.C., a women's group, the Smithsonian Institution, the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society. She was a skillful and compulsive fossil-hunter, and on trip to Germany and Ireland she explored ancient ruins and studied church records to learn about her Irish forebears. Dorothy was fascinated by the archaeology and geology of the Southwest and she participated in the formal archaeological dig of an Anasazi kiva when she was in her late 70s. Another passion was gardening. She had a very green thumb and specialized in the cultivation of bonsai plants. In 2007 she moved to Boulder from Washington, D.C. where she had lived for 31 years. She joined Valmont Community Presbyterian Church and became an active member of the choir. She loved to sing all her life; her beautiful clear soprano will be sadly missed. Dorothy will be lovingly remembered by family, friends and her devoted companion, Kerry, the cat. We will be ever grateful to Cherise McKay, caregiver and friend, who formed a special bond with Dorothy in her final years. Survivors: Kate Anderson, Rainier, Washington; Steven Sanazaro, Cesson-Sevigne, France; Mark Sanazaro, Lafayette, Colorado; Susan Sanazaro, Eugene Oregon; and Nancy Middlemiss, Rollinsville, Colorado; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C., 20024 or Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, 3262 61st St., Boulder, CO, 80301. Please share thoughts, memories and condolences at legacy.com/obituaries/dailycamera.