Dorothy "Dotty" Sanborn

Dorothy “Dotty” Spielman Sanborn, 92, died July 17, 2024, in Bountiful, Utah.

Dotty was born July 26, 1931, in Valrico, Florida to Newton Boone Spielman and Mary Heberly Myers. At six months old, she and her parents moved to Big Pool, Maryland, where her grandfather and father began a tomato farming and canning business.

She had a long, proud heritage of Pennsylvania Dutch and Appalachian West Virginia.

 She was the valedictorian of Clear Spring High School (Clear Spring, Maryland), Class of 1949. She then entered the Maryland State Teachers College (now Towson University), graduating in 1953. 

 She was introduced to Gordon Dixon Sanborn through letters. They first met on July 11, 1953, and later that day they got engaged. They married at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Big Pool, Maryland November 28, 1953.

 While living in California, Dotty and Gordon joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before moving to New Jersey, they were given permission by the First Presidency of the Church to be sealed in the Los Angeles Temple with their three children, despite only being members of the church for seven months. On July 11, 1964, the family was sealed for time and all eternity. 

 Dotty taught Kindergarten and 1st grade in Maryland, and special education in Florida. Having come from a small Maryland town, she was fond of travelling with Gordon and later their children. They travelled extensively across the United States and Canada.

 They had five children: Sophie (Archie), Roderick (Debbie), Karen (Rob), Richard (Rebecca), and Chris.

 Throughout her life, she lived in Maryland, Bermuda, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, in Maryland again, and Utah.

 Dotty served with her husband in the Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Temples and as a Church Service Missionary in the Church Historical Department. She also served in Relief Society and Primary presidencies and had several other callings within those organizations.

 Dotty’s interests and hobbies included Peter Rabbit, Koala bears, reading Christian and LDS fiction, and cozy mysteries.

 She is preceded in death by her husband, Gordon; two sons, Richard and Chris; her parents; and two brothers, Bobby, and Dickie.

 Funeral services will be held Friday, July 26, 2024, at11 a.m., at the Meadowbrook Ward Chapel, 990 North 100 West, Bountiful, UT. Friends and family may visit from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment in the Bountiful City Cemetery.

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Dorothy's obituary page.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary.

 In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Clear Spring High School Alumni Association. 9731 Lock Tender Lane, Williamsport, Maryland 21795

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