Dorothy Wood

Dorothy Kilbourn Wood. 97, died on January 17, 2014 at home in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Dorothy was born in Utica, New York on December 2, 1916, to Lysle D. and Hilda Glassford Kilbourn. Dorothy had a life long love of horses and the American West. She read the Wild West Weekly and wrote to her pen pal, Louise Dye. After graduating from high school, in 1935, Dorothy, her mother, and younger sister, Eleanor, were traveling to California to visit family. Dorothy had been invited to stay with her pen pal, Louise. That visit changed Dorothy\u0027s life. She met Bert H. Wood and his family, on their ranch in the Aravaipa Canyon, near Winkleman, Arizona. Dorothy and Bert corresponded for the next couple of years. She returned to Arizona and they married on April 5, 1938. Bert and Dorothy worked on the family ranch. They lived at Oak Springs. Their oldest son, Clifford was born in 1941. Dorothy loved to reminisce about this time in her life and had many fond memories. They moved to Tucson and began breeding and raising race horses, including Joe Reed II. Their son, Roger was born in 1945. Their daughter, Kathleen was born in 1955. While living in Tucson, Dorothy was active in the Cowbelles and started the Arizona State Chapter of the Homemakers Association. Bert and Dorothy also worked for Audie Murphy on the TM Ranch, in Vail, Arizona. Following Bert, in his life long dream of owning his own cattle ranch, the family moved to Camp Verde, Arizona in 1961. Dorothy immediately became involved in the community. She worked for the pharmacy for 11 years. Volunteering was one of her passions. She felt that volunteers were the backbone of the community. Dorothy volunteered at the Camp Verde Chamber of Commerce and the Camp Verde Historical Society until she "retired" at the age of 95. She was a charter member of the Camp Verde Library Endowment. Dorothy was very excited about her dream of a new Camp Verde Library being fulfilled with the demolition of the old Camp Verde Jail. Her spirit will be at the ground breaking for the new building. Dorothy was a member of the Camp Verde Saddlebags Precision Riding Team. The Saddlebags appeared in the Glenn Ford/Henry Fonda film, "The Rounders". Dorothy loved hiking with her friends, going on treks, travel, and adventure. She loved challenges and was always looking for something new to learn. Even after she retired from ranch work, she continued to cook for fall roundups at other local ranches. Dorothy lived in the home that she shared with Bert, until March 2013. Moving from her home and friends was difficult for her. She moved to Prescott Valley, Arizona to live with her daughter and son in law, Arron. Dorothy spent her days with Arron and true to her spirit of adventure, she loved being his navigator when they were hauling cars and making loads in the dump trailer. Her handle was the Highway Hellion. Dorothy enjoyed going to car shows and meeting new people. Arron\u0027s friends were always surprised about how much she knew about cars. Her parents, her husband, Bert, of 63 years, and their son, Roger \u0027Buzz\u0027 Wood of Camp Verde, Arizona, preceded Dorothy in death. Dorothy is survived by her sister, Eleanor Murphy of New York, her brother, Larry Kilbourn of Connecticut, her son Clifford Wood and his wife, Judy, her granddaughter Jennifer Hoffman, her husband, Sean, their sons, Owen and Noah, grandson Jeff Wood, his wife Amanda, their sons, Justin and Calvin, all of Tucson, Arizona, her grand daughter, Nadine Sizmur and her husband, Tim, of Jimboomba, Queensland, her daughter Kathleen Cormier and her husband, Arron, of Prescott Valley, Arizona, and her adopted granddaughter, Hayleigh Schroeder. Dorothy\u0027s memorial service will be held on February 15, 2014 at 1:00pm at the Church of Christ, 2001 North Arena Del Loma Road Camp Verde, Arizona, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Camp Verde Library Endowment, the Camp Verde Historical Society, or the American Quarter Horse Association. An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com