Dorothy Lee (Williams) Dando began her earthly journey on May 5, 1931 and returned peacefully to the light on June 2, 2011. Born in Springfield, Missouri to Charles and Helen Williams, she attended Springfield High and Drury College, where she was a Business Major and member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. Dorothy was married to Joe Dando in 1951. Together they had two children, Charles Joseph III who resides here in Springfield and Webster Alan who resides in Fort Worth, Texas. One of Dorothy's favorite hobbies was needlepointing and for years was a very prolific and accomplished "needler". A left-hander, she was self-taught and loved it so much that in the early 1970's she opened her own needlepoint shop. Called Point Needlepoint, it was located on Springfield's Public Square during the Square's first renaissance period. The "new" Square failed to attract enough shopping traffic and, sadly, Point Needlepoint lasted only a couple of years. Dorothy and Joe split up in the mid 70s and Dorothy moved to Palm Desert, California where she worked for Wells Fargo Bank. Rising to the rank of Senior Investment Advisor, she had a very satisfying career with the bank until 1990, when she returned to Springfield to care for her ailing mother. Dorothy then went back to school to learn a new trade and went to work for Cox Medical Center as a medical transcriptionist until her retirement in 1996. Dorothy was always a voracious reader, typically devouring two or three books each week right up to the last weeks of her life. Suffering the ravages of dementia, Dorothy lived the last two years of her life under the loving care and attention of the staff at the James River Care Center and Rehabilitation Center, who gave her a new lease on life and facilitated a healthy and happy concluding chapter to her life here with us. Sadly, cancer reared its ugly head this past Mother's Day and quickly took her from us. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, June 6, 2011 at Hazelwood Cemetery under the care of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3322 S. Campbell, St. G, Springfield, Missouri 65807 or to Alzheimer's Association, Southwest Missouri Chapter, 1500 S. Glenstone, Springfield, Missouri 65804.