Bothell devoted efforts
to family business, civic duty
Auburn’s first woman city councilmember, Dorothy Marion Bothell, 101, died last Sunday at her Auburn home.
Her husband who preceded her in death, Howard H. Bothell, was the great-grandson of David C. Bothell, founding father of the city of Bothell.
Bothell was appointed as the city’s first female city councilmember in 1950. She also served on the city’s cemetery board for 18 years.
Born in California in 1907, she moved to Washington with her parents in the 1920s where she graduated from Broadway High School in 1925 and shortly thereafter married.
The Bothell family then began their lifelong careers in the automobile industry. Howard, Sr. began working for Gallager Motors in Seattle in the late 1920s and in 1938 purchased Auburn’s Chevrolet franchise and the well-known Bothell Chevrolet was a staple on Auburn’s auto row for more than 50 years.
When her husband was called off to fight in World War II, Dorothy operated and managed the dealership until his return in 1945. She then turned her energies to civic duty to her community by serving the Red Cross, Auburn City Council and the Auburn Cemetery Board.
She helped organize the first chapter of the Women’s Business and Professional Club, serving as president in 1945 and 1946, was a member of the Auburn Garden Club, Soroptimist, Eastern Star, Auburn Elks, Washington Athletic Club, Seattle Rainier Club and the Seattle Yacht Club.
The City of Auburn proclaimed Feb. 3, 2007, Dorothy Marion Bothell Centenarian Day of Celebration in honor of her 100th birthday.
Howard and Dorothy raised two sons, Howard, Jr. and John.
“Dorothy was a very intelligent and hard working lady,” said Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis at the last Monday’s council meeting. “She was a role model for generations of young women in Auburn and a leader in her community.
“She will be missed but she will be remembered.”
Survivors include her two sons, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services were held Wednesday at Price-Helton Funeral Chapel in Auburn with a reception at the Auburn Golf Course. Burial was at Mountain View Cemetery.
