Dorothy "Dottie" M. Birkhead, 87, of Troy, MO, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 at the Cottages of Lake St. Louis.  She was born on April 17, 1934 in Jennings to Roy and Marie (Lattrace) Duckett Sr.  She was the second of seven children (Tootsie, Dottie, Shirley, Evelyn, Roy, Bill and Louise).  Dottie moved with her family to a Winfield farm when she was 13.

One day while exploring the woods with her younger sister, Shirley, they saw a boy on the other side of a creek.  When he crossed the creek, balancing himself on an old fence to meet them, she was so impressed he would later become her husband for 49 years. His name was Ken Birkhead and they were married on Feb. 19, 1950 in Winfield.  The couple was blessed with three children: Ron, Bonnie and Rick.

Dottie was an excellent seamstress and learned to can vegetables and cook wild game, since Ken loved gardening, hunting and fishing.  When her children were older, Dottie took a job as the "Face" of Continental Telephone (later Verizon) in Troy's one-person office where she came in contact with many residents ordering new services or paying their bills.  When that office closed, she moved to their Wentzville office and retired after 25 years of dedicated service.

Dottie and Ken enjoyed vacations out West where she preferred to look up at mountains rather than down.  In winter time, they vacationed in South Texas.  Dottie will be greatly missed and long remembered by all those who knew and loved her.

Surviving are her loving children: Ron and wife Stephani Birkhead, Bonnie and husband Glenn Hess, Rick and wife Debbie Birkhead; her two siblings: Roy and wife Bonnie Duckett Jr. and Louise Blechle.  She is further survived by her four grandchildren: Eric, Jessica, Jason and Jordan and her eleven great-grandchildren: Laura, Lily, Josh, Beka, Maddy, Brooke, Faith, Jamison, Byers, Caleb and Carter; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Ken, and her four siblings: Tootsie, Shirley, Evelyn and Bill.

Visitation scheduled from 11:30a.m. until 2:00p.m. services on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021 at the McCoy-Blossom Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1304 Boone St., Troy, MO 63379 (636) 528-8244.

Funeral service scheduled at 2:00p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021 at the McCoy-Blossom Funeral Homes & Crematory, Troy location.  Officiating:  Pastor Terry Roberts.  Serving as pallbearers:  Ron Birkhead, Rick Birkhead, Glenn Hess, Eric Reid, Jason Birkhead and Josh Reid.

Interment to follow in Troy City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Parkinson Foundation for Research, c/o McCoy-Blossom Funeral Homes & Crematory.

Family and friends are invited to sign our on-line guest registry at: www.mccoyblossomfh.com