Dottie was known for her annual letter writing which recapped the family highlights each year. The collection of letters, spanning from 1964 through 2009, is presented below in reverse chronological order.
2009 - Knee-replacement surgery for Dottie; Dottie no longer driving
2007-2008 - Death of sister Barbara Walters and brother-in-law George Wenzinger
2006 - Husband Carl died in January 2006, at age 79
2003 - Dottie and Carl sold their retirement home in VA in 2002; Dottie's broken arm; Dottie's 75th birthday; great-grandson Hunter born in 2003
2001-2002 - Carl's 75th birthday; granddaughter Marilyn marries Mark Warren; great-grandson Mark Jr. born in 2001
2000 - Granddaughter Meghan born; Eva, Allison and Emily in college; Dottie & Carl move to The Highlands
1998 - Dottie & Carl's 50th wedding anniversary in Aug 1998; grandson Noah born in September
1998 collage of grandchildren
1997 - Granddaughter Emma born
1996 - Carl's 70th birthday & Doron retirement
1995 - Grandson Grant born
1994 - Son Don marries Susan Milarta in August; Grossy passes away in September
1992 - A pictorial collage of family photos
1991 - A pictorial collage along with an original poem penned by Dottie
1990 - Son Don buys his first house; the entire extended family gathers at Bunn Hill for Christmas
1989 - Twin grandchildren Rebekah and Arthur born in May; all of Ron and Cindy's kids are now officially Wenzingers
1988 - Dottie & Carl's 40th wedding anniversary in August; nephew Richard Russell Stearns dies of cancer
1987 - Planning to build a retirement home in Deltaville, VA; Ron's ordination in June
1986 - Son Don graduates from Ithaca College
1985 - Granddaughter Abby born in December
1984 - Granddaughter Bethany born in April
1983 - Grandson Sean adopted in January; son Ron decides to enter the ministry
1982 - Granddaughter Emily born in June; son Don graduates from high school
1980-1981 - Mother Alma Stearns passed away in Feb 1980; granddaughters Eva and Allison born in 1980
1979 - Original "Twas the night Before Christmas" poem penned by Dottie
1978 - Parents Alma and Eric Stearns move to Florida; Leigh and Mike move to Silver Spring, MD, and buy a house; Karen marries Jim Holtz
1977 - Dottie visits Karen in California and is treated to an Andy Williams concert
1976 - Son Ron marries Cindy Puterbaugh in May
1975 - Karen moves to California; Ron moves back in with parents; Leigh is teaching kindergarten; Mike is in law school
1974 - Dottie, Carl and Don move to Vestal, NY
1973 - Ron graduates from high school; Leigh and Mike graduate from Duke University and are married soon afterward; Dottie & Carl's 25th wedding anniversary
1972 - An original "solve the puzzle" Christmas greeting
1971 - Leigh transfers to Duke University; Leigh and Mike are engaged; Karen marries Sam
1970 - Doron Associates comes into being; Freckles joins the family
1969 - Leigh graduates high school and enters Wellesley College; Karen is engaged to Sam
1968 - Carl working at Visual Electronics in NYC; Leigh is a senior in high school; Karen takes a summer trip to Florida with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Tommy
1967 - Leigh is about to get her driver's license; Ron's broken arm
1966 - Carl takes a job at Raytheon and the family moves to Concord, MA
1965 - Carl is promoted to V.P. Sales for Dage-Bell Corporation
1964 - Son Don born in January
2009 - Knee-replacement surgery for Dottie; Dottie no longer driving
2007-2008 - Death of sister Barbara Walters and brother-in-law George Wenzinger
2006 - Husband Carl died in January 2006, at age 79
2003 - Dottie and Carl sold their retirement home in VA in 2002; Dottie's broken arm; Dottie's 75th birthday; great-grandson Hunter born in 2003
2001-2002 - Carl's 75th birthday; granddaughter Marilyn marries Mark Warren; great-grandson Mark Jr. born in 2001
2000 - Granddaughter Meghan born; Eva, Allison and Emily in college; Dottie & Carl move to The Highlands
1998 - Dottie & Carl's 50th wedding anniversary in Aug 1998; grandson Noah born in September
1998 collage of grandchildren
1997 - Granddaughter Emma born
1996 - Carl's 70th birthday & Doron retirement
1995 - Grandson Grant born
1994 - Son Don marries Susan Milarta in August; Grossy passes away in September
1992 - A pictorial collage of family photos
1991 - A pictorial collage along with an original poem penned by Dottie
1990 - Son Don buys his first house; the entire extended family gathers at Bunn Hill for Christmas
1989 - Twin grandchildren Rebekah and Arthur born in May; all of Ron and Cindy's kids are now officially Wenzingers
1988 - Dottie & Carl's 40th wedding anniversary in August; nephew Richard Russell Stearns dies of cancer
1987 - Planning to build a retirement home in Deltaville, VA; Ron's ordination in June
1986 - Son Don graduates from Ithaca College
1985 - Granddaughter Abby born in December
1984 - Granddaughter Bethany born in April
1983 - Grandson Sean adopted in January; son Ron decides to enter the ministry
1982 - Granddaughter Emily born in June; son Don graduates from high school
1980-1981 - Mother Alma Stearns passed away in Feb 1980; granddaughters Eva and Allison born in 1980
1979 - Original "Twas the night Before Christmas" poem penned by Dottie
1978 - Parents Alma and Eric Stearns move to Florida; Leigh and Mike move to Silver Spring, MD, and buy a house; Karen marries Jim Holtz
1977 - Dottie visits Karen in California and is treated to an Andy Williams concert
1976 - Son Ron marries Cindy Puterbaugh in May
1975 - Karen moves to California; Ron moves back in with parents; Leigh is teaching kindergarten; Mike is in law school
1974 - Dottie, Carl and Don move to Vestal, NY
1973 - Ron graduates from high school; Leigh and Mike graduate from Duke University and are married soon afterward; Dottie & Carl's 25th wedding anniversary
1972 - An original "solve the puzzle" Christmas greeting
1971 - Leigh transfers to Duke University; Leigh and Mike are engaged; Karen marries Sam
1970 - Doron Associates comes into being; Freckles joins the family
1969 - Leigh graduates high school and enters Wellesley College; Karen is engaged to Sam
1968 - Carl working at Visual Electronics in NYC; Leigh is a senior in high school; Karen takes a summer trip to Florida with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Tommy
1967 - Leigh is about to get her driver's license; Ron's broken arm
1966 - Carl takes a job at Raytheon and the family moves to Concord, MA
1965 - Carl is promoted to V.P. Sales for Dage-Bell Corporation
1964 - Son Don born in January