Feb. 17, 1920-Sept. 30 2017
Dorothy Krill died on Sept. 30, 2017, at her home in Laguna Beach. She is survived by sons John Krill, of Laguna Beach, David Krill, of Atascadero, and daughter Nancy Krill of Port Townsend, Wash.; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Son Brian predeceased her.
Dorothy Phillips was born in Hartford, Conn., and grew up in Queens, N.Y. She was the oldest of five children and the last surviving sibling. Her father died when she was 7 and she always looked after her brothers and sister. The family was active in the Salvation Army. She told stories of playing the trumpet and alto horn during the holidays. In 1939, she earned a certificate in infant care from the Salvation Army’s Brooklyn Nursery and Infants’ Hospital.
She met her husband Charles (Chuck) Krill, an electrical engineer, in Chicago and they were married in 1942. They moved to Southern California in 1947 living in Burbank and Glendale in the ‘50s and ‘60s, where she became an active member of the First Methodist Church.
In August 1964, Dorothy, Chuck, Nancy and Brian moved to Tokyo where they lived for two years. Dorothy took up flower arranging, taught English, and traveled within Japan and to Hong Kong and Cambodia. In 1966 the family returned to California via the former Soviet Union, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Britain. The travel bug had captured her sense of adventure.
In 1972 Dorothy started Krill Tours & Travel in Laguna Beach and her daughter Nancy joined her. Dorothy traveled all over the world, taking several foreign trips a year. She ran the travel agency for over 30 years. She loved to tell stories of her many travels to the delight of listeners.
Social activities were important to Dorothy. She was an active member of the Business and Professional Women, the Laguna Beach chapter of Soroptimist International, and the Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir and was involved in the missions committee and a Bible study group. Dorothy became a Democrat after Barry Goldwater’s nomination and was an active member in the Orange County and Laguna Beach Democratic clubs. She could often be found in front of the Post Office registering voters.
Music played an important part in Dorothy’s life. She began singing in her church choir in the early 1950’s and continued to do so until her death, more than 60 years later. In the late 1950’s she was part of a trio called the 3 Clubs, performing at local community and church events. She was proud of singing at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Dorothy’s Bible study group has purchased a memorial plaque for her to be placed in the Laguna Beach United Methodist Church courtyard. The plaque will be dedicated on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 11:30 a.m. She was known for her loyalty to friends and will be missed by them and her family. Donations in Dorothy’s honor can be made to the LBUMC Missions Committee.
