Her three sons, Christopher, Peter and Michael progressed through school/colleges/university and developed good careers. Sadly, their father, Graham died suddenly, leaving Dorothy essentially alone in running a business and home. Yoga teaching took a step back for a time, but a few years later she reconnected via Durham University and striking a friendship with the teacher Gordon Bell. They were married in 1984, and at first worked together in the retail shop and also developed teaching in oriental complementary therapies. Making a fresh start together in Newcastle upon Tyne with two Healthfood/Wholefood businesses alongside study and teaching therapies.

Studies took Dorothy to various parts of the UK as well as Australia and USA. These not only involved therapies, but also oriental religions and philosophy. Dorothy has helped and inspired thousands of people through a variety of disciplines as well as being the unofficial counsellor behind the counter of retail businesses.

Dorothy moved to Bath in Somerset in 2003 to assist her eldest son Chris, in supporting his three children, and this was a great bonding experience with her grandchildren Isabelle, Charlie and Harry. It became for a few years, a focal point of peace, fun and numerous holiday visits from other family members to experience the South West of England. During this time Dorothy had two new grandchildren Clementia and Celina, daughters of Christopher and Ghizlan and they too visited Bath regularly bringing even more joy and fun. In 2007 Dorothy suspected there was a serious health problem developing and in 2008 she received the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. This did not immediately impact on her life, but of course slowly it progressed. As her three older grandchildren (based in Bath) were all either at university or about to start, by 2012 it was time to return to the north-east and a move was made to Newcastle upon Tyne. It was a homecoming with her two local sons and family and with grandchildren Kirsty, Hollie and Ellie and sister Margaret.

As the condition progressed life became slower and health complications increased. By 2017 there was a need for home care support. In 2020 her mobility sharply decreased and after a period in hospital, a need for a greater level of home care. The pandemic of 2020 turned the home into an isolation centre for three family members shielding due to health vulnerabilities, but after another short stay in hospital both Dorothy and husband Gordon came down with Covid-19, and with the help of hospitalisation they both survived. Each of the four stays in hospital in 2019-20 took its toll on Dorothy’s health and perhaps accelerated Parkinson’s.

It was with great joy for Dorothy in 2021, to become a great grandmother to Etta Lilly French in February (daughter of Georgie Wordley and Charles William French) and Lyra Pheonix Duddin in September (daughter of Kirsty and James Edward Duddin {JED}).

Dorothy has gone through a full and rich life experiencing lows and highs, of great sadness, bereavements, difficult financial and business activity as well as positive life experiences through helping and inspiring others through work, study and family. She has been well supported too by family and friendships that have nourished her life.

She has had a rich life experience that has been long and mostly healthy and as is often the case a troublesome decline in health of body and mind. She has left a wholesome legacy with family, friends, students.

A life well lived.