Dorothea Helene Baldwin was born on New Year’s Day in 1923 in Oakland, California to Max and Gladys Schmidt.  She grew up in Colorado and later moved with her parents, brother and sister to Lake Forest Park and Edmonds, Washington.  One of her first jobs was at a Seattle print shop, before her family moved to Boise, Idaho in 1943. There, she worked as a proofreader at the Idaho Statesman newspaper at its original offices on 6th and Main Streets. During World War II, Dorothy (as she was called) watched as her father, a violin-maker born in Germany, was taken away by federal agents and placed in a prison camp for German detainees. She helped her family struggle through the difficult times of her father being away, and became teary-eyed when she spoke of the heavily-redacted letters they would receive from Max. Dorothy loved to draw and was an incredibly talented artist. Her detailed drawings were almost like looking at photographs.  As a teenager, she often drew likenesses of Disney film characters, especially Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She submitted a few of her drawings to artists at the Walt Disney Studios simply for their comment -- and they were so impressed that they offered to hire her as an illustrator. But taking the job would have entailed moving to southern California and being away from her family, so she turned it down.  She married Otto Bertel in 1944 -- and they had one son, Steven.  Over the years, the family lived in both California and Idaho.  When Dorothy and Otto’s 33-year marriage ended, Dorothy later married Orville Baldwin, whom she met through a family friend.  They lived on several acres in Eagle, until Orville passed away in 1985.  Dorothy later moved to Sebastopol, California, where she volunteered as a part-time secretary at the Occidental Community Church.  She later moved to Ontario, Oregon, then returned to the Boise area and settled into an apartment in Meridian, where she spent the remainder of her life.  In addition to drawing, Dorothy loved to sew, knit, and crochet. She often made clothes and gifts for family members, which included unique knitted clothes hangar and picture frame covers.  Dorothy’s main focus in life was both her immediate and her extended families.  She was always willing to help them out in times of need -- generously lending them money when it was a struggle to pay her own bills, or baking muffins or cookies despite suffering from arthritis in her hands.  She collected lots of sayings and verses, plaques of which decorated the walls of her apartment.  One was entitled: “Each Day’s a Prayer.”  It read: “Make your life a prayer to God.  Make each day His to own.  Let Him be your guide and strength, Your rock and cornerstone. And let each day reflect anew the wonder of His love for you.”  Only a few days before she died, Dorothy asked Jesus Christ to come into her heart, recognizing Him as her Lord and Savior.  Dorothy was preceded in death by her father and mother; her older brother, Eitel Schmidt of Washington; her second husband, Orville; and her brother-in law, Gene Burt of Oregon. She is survived by her first husband, Otto Bertel of Twain Harte, California; her son Steven (Marion) Bertel of Meridian, Idaho; her sister, Gertrude Burt of Ontario, Oregon; and numerous nieces, nephews, great- and great-great nieces and nephews, step-grandchildren and great-step-grandchildren.  Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, November 6, 2009 at the Meridian Friends Church, 1021 W. Pine.  Burial will follow at Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens.  In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations in Dorothy’s memory be sent to the Boise office of the Susan G. Komen organization for breast cancer research at: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Boise Affiliate, 6901 W. Emerald, Suite 209, Boise, Idaho 83704.