Dorothy Brown LaPrairie

Dorothy Estella (Brown) LaPrairie, of Springfield, loving mom and grandma, passed away peacefully in her home on Feb. 10, 2021.

One of the six children of Ralph and Ethel Brown, Dorothy was born at home in Molalla on Oct. 13, 1943. She grew up in Molalla and then later moved to Gearhart in 1951. She attended school in Gearhart and high school in Seaside.

Dorothy married Bernard “Frenchy” LaPrairie in November 1959. Frenchy was a logger and long-haul truck driver. Dorothy and Frenchy, along with their children, resided in Gearhart, Seaside, Kansas and Colorado. They later divorced; Frenchy died in 1991.

Dorothy was fortunate to have two loves in her life. Bob Langa, also from Seaside, preceded her in death in 1984.

Dorothy was a homemaker for most of her life, but her first job was at The Grill in Seaside. She also worked at the Bumble Bee Seafoods cannery in Astoria, but quit the job because the jitneys (small fork-lifts) scared her.

Dorothy was a great mom to her children. As a homemaker, her fried razor clams, fresh from the beach, were everyone’s favorite.

Dorothy’s summers were spent with her children and family having blackberry pickin’ parties with all the cousins, picnics and catching crawdads at Klootchy Creek outside of Seaside and sitting in the sunshine visiting with family and friends.

She will always be remembered by family as a tomboy who loved to have fun! She loved looking over old photos and her collections of angels and salt and pepper shakers.

Dorothy was small in stature, and very large in her generosity to other people in need. She opened her heart and home to so many, and impacted their lives in a tremendous way.

Dorothy was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Theresa; her parents, Ralph and Ethel; along with sister, Colleen Schinderle, and brother, Ralph “Skeet” Brown.

She is survived by her children, Debby Crawford, of Spokane, Washington, Colleen (Nick) Blagaich, of Springfield, Joe LaPrairie, of Springfield, and Butch LaPrairie, of Springfield; grandchildren, Brandon, Rebecca, Stephanie, Taylor and Taiya; and honorary grandchildren, David, Steven, Andrew, Tayler Quinn and Anna.

She is also survived by two brothers and a sister, Vernon “Sonny” (Tess) Brown, of Tillamook, Ernie (June) Brown, of Marietta, Georgia, and Pat (Jim) Nichols, of Warrenton; and numerous nieces and nephews who miss her dearly.

An outdoor celebration of life will be held during her favorite time of the year, summer, with the date, time and location to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that any donation you can make be to your local hospice — these people are truly angels!