Dorothy L. Fish

Dorothy L. Fish, 95, of Robinson, IL, died peacefully on April 5, 2021 in the comforting presence of her family at Timber Creek Village in Robinson. She was born July 21, 1925, in Bridgeport, IL, the daughter of Virden & Ruth Ellen (Lewis) French, both of whom preceded her in death. She married Lester Bentley Fish, Jr., in 1971, who preceded her in death in 2002. She was also preceded in death by her sister & brother-in-law, Francis & Bob Heddy. She is survived by her son & daughter-in-law, Terry Lee & Carolyn Bradbury (Indianapolis, IN); by her daughter & son-in-law, Victoria & Benjamin Pettis (New York City); by her grandchildren, Dana & Kelly Bradbury (Indianapolis, IN), Courtney & Angie Bradbury (Seattle, WA), and Meghann Bradbury (Indianapolis, IN); and by her great-grandchildren, Eliza and Isaiah Bradbury. Dorothy grew up in Bridgeport and was a graduate of Bridgeport High School before enrolling at MacMurray College. She completed her undergraduate and master's degree at the University of Illinois and Indiana State University and put her degrees to good use, having taught for a total of 25 years for area schools. She began her career at Hutsonville High School and impacted many students there, most notably as the class sponsor for the Class of 1966. After 9 years, she moved on to Oblong Grade School, teaching the 5th and 7th grades before retiring at the age of 55, but not before leaving her mark on countless area children who have benefited from her God-given wisdom and deep concern. Her propensity for correcting her English students is well-remembered and continued after retiring, even with non-students! Never one to let dust settle, Dorothy found a second career in real estate, a job she truly enjoyed for over 30 years. By all accounts, she had a penchant for historic preservation and fought to save many local landmarks throughout her life, including the Fife Opera House, Robinson High School gymnasium, and the James Jones home. She and her husband Bentley were unrelenting advocates for their community and were always engaged in the public conversations. She was active in multiple organizations, including the DAR, Red Hat Society, CMH Auxiliary, and the First Christian Church. Many remember her "presentations" at U of I Extension fundraisers. As a board member of the Irene Black Library of Genealogy in Bridgeport, she continued her connection with the home of her youth. As a Republican precinct committeeperson for 20 years, she contributed to the country she loved. As president of the Crawford County Republican Women's Club, she led local efforts the National "Caring for America" Program. In 2004, at the age of 79, she was awarded the "Outstanding Working Woman of the Year" by the Robinson Professional Business Women. She continued her professional business involvement in real estate into her mid-80s. In short, Dorothy Fish played an integral role in the life of our community. This strong-willed, committed soul made the world around her a better place through the work she produced and the causes she championed. It has been said that "A well-lived life does not end any more than music ends...it echoes through time with whispers of beauty and grace." Her commitment and love of "being involved" continued even after officially "retiring". Her former students and fellow citizens will remember her with fondness, love, and respect, but her friends and family will even more so. By all accounts, few things brought more life to her living than simply spending time with those she loved most in this world. Her children were her pride and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her joy. She provided them with many, many memories, and they will never, nor could they ever, forget the love and the life of Dorothy Fish. A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson, IL. A celebration of her life will be held at 12:00 p.m. A live stream of Dorothy's service can be viewed on Goodwine Funeral Homes' Facebook page or by going to https://www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream . Burial will be in the Lawrenceville Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the "VFW Transportation Fund", the "American Legion Post #69", or to the donor's choice, with envelopes available at the funeral home. *Please note that COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. Thusly, masks and social distancing will be required on-premises.*