DOROTHY P. CHILDS

Amherst, Dorothy Pettijohn Childs, of Amherst, died March 28, 2013 in Portsmouth, NH, where she had resided for a few years before her death. Mrs. Childs was the last of the Pettijohn family to reside in Amherst. She was born in 1908 in Amherst, the second of nine children. She was the daughter of Marion Moody Pettijohn and John Jasper Pettijohn.

She was educated in Amherst public schools; received a B.S. in education from Westfield State Teachers College; and received an M.Ed. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She began her teaching career in Cotton Valley, AL, teaching grades 1 – 6 at a school for African-American children established by the American Missionary Association. She then taught at the Orchard Park Nursery School in Boston. Returning to Amherst, she taught at the Green River School in Greenfield, MA before her appointment to the Amherst School District, from teaching at Kellogg East School and retiring from Crocker Farm School. She was a member of the National Education Association and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. She was also an active member of the Business and Professional Club of Northampton and the Retired Educators of Massachusetts. She enjoyed throughout her lifetime traveling, gardening and reading.

Mrs. Childs was married to John B. Childs of Marion, AL, who predeceased her in 1974. Survivors include her son, John Brown Childs and his wife Delgra Childs of Santa Cruz, CA; her sister Florence Wilson of Beverly Hills, FL; and her dearest friends, Seth Bostock and his wife Amy Bostock of North Hampton, NH and Jonathan Bostock and his wife Marigny Bostock of Louisville, KY. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Childs was able to live independently so late into her life because of the dedicated support of her extraordinary neighbors, Lucy and John Gallagher.

A private burial was held in Olde Hadley Cemetery, Hadley, MA. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.