Dorothy Austad

Dorothy Austad passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025, at the age of 96. She was born in Havre, Montana, to Frank Jones and Alice Petrie, and from the beginning, she carried with her a strength of spirit and a heart full of compassion.

After graduating from nursing school at Sacred Heart Hospital Havre, Montana, Dorothy married Kermit O. Austad on August 28, 1949 - the result of a blind date that blossomed into a lifelong love story. Together, they built a life rooted in family, faith, and enduring love until Kermit's passing in 1990.

In 1960, with "a smile in her voice," Dorothy and Kermit moved to Wenatchee, Washington, where they raised four boys into men in a warm and lively home filled with laughter, values, and care.

Dorothy deeply loved the Lutheran Church, and her faith was a constant in her life. In her later years, she and Kermit retired to Shoreline, where they became active members of the First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach while caring for her mother and enjoying life near their growing family of grandchildren.

And through it all, Dorothy remained a devoted fan of the Seattle Mariners. Baseball brought her joy - and perhaps just a little frustration - season after season.

Dorothy will be missed beyond words. But we take comfort knowing she is now in a place free of pain, where her knees no longer ache, and where perhaps the Mariners have a better shot at finally winning the pennant.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 19, at 11:00 AM at the First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that memorial donations be made to the Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul - two causes close to Dorothy's heart.