Dorothy Mae Babbitt

Dorothy Mae Babbitt, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on August 31, 2026, at the age of 87, after a life devoted to her family, her faith, and the values she held dear.

Dorothy was born on February 23, 1939, in Joplin, Missouri, to Howard and Hazel Donnell. She began life as a farm girl in southern Missouri before moving with her parents and siblings to Colorado. There she met Alvin E. “Al” Babbitt, and the two were married in Laguna Beach, California on January 21, 1956. Their marriage spanned 70 years and a lifetime of raising a family, building a home, traveling, and facing life’s joys and hardships together.

Soon after their marriage, Dorothy and Al moved to California while Al served in the United States Marine Corps. Dorothy embraced life as a service wife and young mother, caring for the first two of the couple’s four children. She loved California and remembered those years fondly.

After returning to Colorado, Dorothy devoted herself to raising their four children: Michael J. Babbitt, Curtis W. Babbitt, Eric L. Babbitt, and Vicki L. New. She also supported Al in his business ventures, primarily in insurance. In addition to being a homemaker, Dorothy worked as a saleswoman.

Dorothy and Al were founding members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Thornton, Colorado. Her faith was an important part of a life centered on family, responsibility, and service to others.

Dorothy was deeply interested in American history and cared greatly about the country’s heritage and liberties. She raised her children with a respect for America, an appreciation for the freedoms they enjoyed, and an understanding that those freedoms carried responsibilities as well. She believed that liberty should never be taken for granted and that each generation had a responsibility to preserve it.

After their children were grown, Dorothy and Al returned for a time to their Ozark roots, making their home in northern Arkansas. Several years later, they returned to Colorado, in large part to be near and support their son Eric during his battle with cancer.

In the final year of her life, Dorothy and Al moved to Salem, Oregon, both for its climate and to be closer to another branch of their family. Dorothy had always enjoyed travel and the experience of living in new places, and she looked forward to discovering more of Oregon.

An enthusiastic reader with a particular interest in American history, Dorothy also loved traveling and experiencing new surroundings. Above all, however, her life was defined by her devotion to her husband and family.

Dorothy is survived by her husband of 70 years, Alvin E. “Al” Babbitt; her children, Michael J. Babbitt, Curtis W. Babbitt, and Vicki L. New; her grandchildren, Justin Babbitt, Matthew New, Benjamin New, Knaight Babbitt, and Alyx Babbitt; and her siblings, Jack Donnell and DeDee Donnell.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Hazel Donnell; her siblings, Ralph Donnell, Philip Donnell, and Sandra Moore; and her son, Eric L. Babbitt.

A commemoration of Dorothy’s life will be held in Colorado at a date and time to be announced.

For those wishing to honor Dorothy’s memory, the family suggests supporting organizations dedicated to fighting childhood diseases or preserving American historical sites.