Dorothy Louise "Dot" Aiken

Dorothy “Dot” Louise Snyder Aiken was born April 27, 1924 in Washington, D.C. to Willard Ross Snyder and Gertrude Rucker Snyder; she passed away August 24, 2019.  She graduated from George Washington University in 1946, where she was a member of Mortar Board and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.  Dot accepted a teaching fellowship at Washington State College where she met William D. Aiken; they were married May 22, 1948, at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.  She taught physical education in the District of Columbia Public School System while her husband attended George Washington University School of Law.

The couple moved to Sunnyside where William Aiken practiced law from 1951 until his sudden death October 10, 1988.  Dot continued to make her home in Sunnyside and married Dale D. Dickinson January 12, 1995.  He passed away January 6, 2003.  In 2015 she moved to Bishop Place Retirement Community in Pullman.

Dorothy Aiken was involved with her children’s activities.  She was a Camp Fire leader for ten years; taught Sunday School for eleven years and was a Red Cross volunteer swimming instructor for fifteen years. She was awarded the Rex Matthews Water Safety Trophy in 1964 as the outstanding volunteer in Yakima County and she was responsible for creating a migrant student swim program that received statewide acclaim. 

For many years, Dot was a substitute teacher in the Sunnyside School District.  She later volunteered at Washington School, the Sunnyside High School Library, and the Grandview Family Resource Center.

Her community activities included the American Legion Auxiliary.  She served as president and was Evergreen Girls’ State chair for thirty years and for fifteen years was on the staff of Evergreen Girls State.  She was secretary-treasurer of the Sunnyside Pro Pool Committee which was instrumental in passing the bond levy to build a new swimming pool and served on the Sunnyside Parks and Recreation Commission.  She was a member of the Junior Women’s Club and Nouvella.  Dot volunteered for Relay for Life. She enjoyed her service on the Yakima Valley Community College Board of Trustees from 1989-1999, including a term as chair.  During her tenure, the Grandview Center became a reality.

Dot loved to play golf and was a member of Black Rock Creek Golf Club.  She served as president, sports captain and treasurer of the Eighteen Hole Women’s Golf Club and later played with the Swingers’ Nine. She hit a hole-in-one in 1991 and won the President’s Cup in 1994.  A devoted bridge player, she played with two bridge clubs affiliated with Children’s Orthopedic Hospital and played duplicate bridge as a member of the A.C.B.L.

A lifetime Episcopalian, Dorothy joined the Holy Trinity congregation when she moved to Sunnyside.  She was a member of the Altar Guild, served as Vestry secretary, and was treasurer for the Memorial Committee.

Dorothy Aiken is survived by her children Katherine Aiken (Joe Schwartz), Moscow, Idaho; Mary Fishback (Doug), Selah; Sally Aiken (Bruce Fitterer), Spokane; Jerome Aiken (Carol), Yakima and her grandchildren Christopher Schwartz (Elizabeth Andreassen); Rebecca Schwartz; Abigail Fishback Cencil (Rob); Megan Fishback; Michael Fitterer (Amanda Nightingale); Erin Fitterer; Samuel Fitterer; Alexander Aiken; and Stephen Aiken.  She was proud of her great-grandchildren Vivian and William Schwartz; Kai and Malia Cencil; and Liam, Alexander, and Ava Fitterer.

A service will be held at 11:00 a.m., September 28, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 327 E. Edison Avenue, Sunnyside, Washington with luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Children’s Hospital (Commemorative Giving, Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, P.O. Box 5371, Seattle, Washington 98145-5005) or the Dorothy L. Aiken Scholarship Fund at Yakima Valley College (YVC Foundation, P.O. Box 22520, Yakima, Washington 98907).

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