On Her Own in Lincoln City (Age 45 - 53 years)
After Myles' passing and then her divorce to Llorne four years later, the 1980s had been tumultuous at times for Doti. She loved living in Lincoln City, though, and cherished the many friends and young students she'd known there.
I moved to Portland in 1990 and got a job with an engineering firm there, so I was close by, and that same year her/our parents bought a house near Bellingham, Washington in a community called Sudden Valley. So by the early 1990s, her life had become a little more settled.
During the 1990s, Doti, I and our parents spent virtually every Christmas and Thanksgiving together, either in Lincoln City or Sudden Valley. We also had numerous family reunions in Sudden Valley, as well, which were attended by dozens of relatives, often including her other brothers. They were happy times, among the happiest of my life and for Doti, as well.
Christmas 1990 in Lincoln City with her friend, Sandra.
In 1990, my parents moved to this house in Sudden Valley, near Bellingham, Washington.
Summer of 1991 at our parent's house in Sudden Valley.
Waiting for the 4th of July fireworks above the harbor in Bellingham.
This is one of my favorite pictures. That's Doti and Mom in 1991.
Doti in Lincoln City in 1991 with her sister-in-law Debbie and her brother Don.
With her niece Sarah in Lincoln City in 1991.
Christmas Eve photo in Lincoln City: Me, Mom, Dad, Doti and Lila.
Mom cooking up the Christmas Eve dinner, while Doti's proudly showing me her grades.
Christmas Eve dinner in Lincoln City in 1991. It took forever to cook this turkey and we finally ate around midnight!
Doti's birthday in March 1992.
Blowing out the candles.
I gave her this plastic bag dryer.
Mom, Dad and Doti at her house in Lincoln City, Oregon.
Spring of 1992, Doti working in her garden.
I've always loved this picture. It's one of my favorites of Doti.
This is Doti's house in Lincoln City. She lived here from 1984 until 1999.
Doti at my parent's house in Sudden Valley, Washington in the summer of 1992.
Dad, Mom and Doti before Doti and I drove back to Oregon.
Hungry for carrots!
At my apartment in Portland. Doti would drive from Lincoln City to Portland, then I'd drive us both up to Bellingham on Interstate 5.
With her dear friend, Sandra, in Lincoln City in 1993.
Driving up to Bellingham in the summer of 1993. We always stopped at my favorite restaurant, the Burger King in Centralia, Washington (Exit 82). Note the food on my canopy.
At the family reunion in Sudden Valley during the summer of 1993. That's Doti, her sisters-in-law Mary and Debbie, her brother Don, and her cousin Alice (right).
Here's the whole Leu clan: Del, Dave, Doti, Dad, Mom, Don and Dwight.
And here's even more of the clan. This is Doti with her parents, her four brothers, three sisters-in-law and all her nieces and nephews.
The Leu kids in the summer of 1993 in chronological order: Doti, Don, Dave, Dwight and Del.
And here we are at the Burger King in Centralia again, this time on our way back to Portland. See, I told you it was my favorite restaurant. Doti got used to stopping here.
Christmas 1993 at Sudden Valley. That's my brother Dwight, his wife Cass and their daughter Selena.
Doti with her niece Selena at Christmas, 1993.
Doti and her namesake, my Dad's sister Dorothy. This is at an award ceremony for my Dad at Western Washington University in 1994 where he was named one of Western's Distinguished Alumni.
Mom, Doti and Dad outside my parent's house in Sudden Valley, Washington in 1994.
Doti and her cat Lila, now eight years old, in Lincoln City in 1994.
She loved her carrots!
Thanksgiving 1994 at Sudden Valley getting ready for the big feast.
She always made fun of my plates of food.
After Thanksgiving back at my place in Portland. Doti's packing up, ready to head back to Lincoln City.
This is the only picture I have of her driving her beloved Toyota. She had this car from 1991 until she passed away, 26 years later.
Christmas, 1994 in Lincoln City.
In Lincoln City in 1995, just before I took off on a six-month road trip around America.
Summer of 1995 in Sudden Valley.
Doti with one of her beloved students in Lincoln City.
In 1996 with me and our brother Don in Lincoln City.
Doti and her brother Don in Lincoln City in 1996.
Me and Doti.
Christmas 1996 in Lincoln City: My Mom, Doti, me and Dad.
Doti with Dad (and Lila) at Christmas, 1996.
Doti loved her cat, Lila. Here they are in 1997 in Lincoln City.
In Portland in 1997 on our way up to Sudden Valley.
Doti on the ferry to Friday Harbor with Mt. Baker in the background in the summer of 1997. Those are her nieces Katie and Sarah and her sister-in-law Debbie.
Thanksgiving 1997 in Sudden Valley with Mom and Dad.
Summer of 1998, this is Doti with her brother Dave and niece Heather in Lincoln City.
