Dorothy Meeker Baggett, 95, of The Villages, Florida and long time resident of Montgomery and Marbury passed away peacefully on the morning of March 17th while a resident of Mission Oaks Assisted Living Facility. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a brother Edward and sister Frances.

Dorothy was born in Nashville, Tennnessee on September 1, 1920 to Grover and Myrtle (Powers) Meeker. She graduated from the St. Margaret's Nursing School in Montgomery and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps at Maxwell Army Air Field on March 1, 1942.

In January 1945, she deployed to Germany with the 7th Army and 127th Evacuation Hospital. After arriving in Germany, the American forces were advancing such that they were never able to set up the planned field hospital. Her unit was then sent to Dachau concentration camp three days after it was liberated. Soon after the war ended and she returned to Fort Benning, Georgia where she completed her service and returned to Montgomery.

Throughout her life she always loved the military. A lifelong clinical nurse, she retired from the USAF Regional Hospital, Maxwell AFB in 1973. While a resident of The Villages, she participated in many veteran recognition events and was justly honored for her service, to include receiving a Veterans Award Medal from Florida Governor Rick Scott. She received a veteran's "Quilt of Honor" at a ceremony at The Villages VA Clinic.

Dorothy participated in a "flightless" Honor Flight conducted in The Villages for veterans who were unable to fly to Washington, DC. She was interviewed and her military service was recorded and filed as part of the Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

Dorothy married her husband, William R. (Bob) Baggett on February 19, 1946 with whom she had two daughters. Mrs Baggett is survived by her daughters, Linda (John) Gafford, Bobbye Carole Baggett and a grandson, Robert Bryan Gafford.

A private, family graveside service was held March 23 at Greenwood Cemetery. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Mission Oaks and especially the Emerald Team of Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care. Memorials may be made in Dorothy's name to Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778-9648.

Published in the Montgomery Advertiser on Mar. 25, 2016.