Dorothy Baier, 87, passed away Feb. 18, 2009, at Regency on Whidbey, Oak Harbor.

Dorothy was born Nov. 23, 1921, to Ruth Sanford and William Henry Sheehan, in The Dalles, Oregon. She was educated in Idaho, attending Boise Junior College (now Boise State University) and the College of Idaho. She received her teaching certificate, and ultimately, her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University in Kingsville, Texas.

Through her long life, Dorothy taught school in Guam, California, Virginia, Texas, Alaska and Oak Harbor, where she taught at Broad View Elementary School from 1970 to 1982.

World War II ended Dorothy’s life in Idaho, and sent her into the wider world. In 1943, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a WAVE. After taking a battery of tests, she chose between meteorology school and gunnery school. Because she was from Idaho and it was winter, she chose gunnery school in Florida.

While there, she and four other female teachers were selected to join a class of men learning to use the top-secret Norden Bombsight. Dorothy graduated tops in the class, and became the first woman to drop a bomb from a naval aircraft. This distinction puts her in elite company in U.S. naval aviation history.

While at NAS Banana River in Florida, Dorothy met Kenneth Carl “Casey” Baier, an Aviation Electrician First Class from Cody, Wyo. Casey and Dorothy were married April 11, 1945, in St. Michael’s Cathedral in Boise, Idaho. They were married nearly 64 years.

Three daughters were born to the Baiers: Karen Ruth Deo (Orlando, Fla.); Carla Sue Kelly (Valley City, N.D.); and Wanda Lynn Turner (Maplewood, Minn.).

Throughout their marriage, the Baiers were a typical Navy family, moving frequently and living in various states and countries. They lived in Guam, California, Alaska, Florida, Japan, Georgia, Virginia, Texas and Oak Harbor, where Casey retired in 1971.

In addition to her family, Dorothy’s love was music. She played the piano and the violin in orchestras in many of the communities they lived in. She was also active in church choirs, and served as choir director for 12 years at Whidbey Presbyterian Church. She was also one of the organizers of the Oak Harbor Augmented String Quartet, which practiced at her house for years and performed in local venues.

Dorothy also played violin in the Skagit Valley Orchestra for years. She also played in the pit orchestras for performances in the Whidbey Playhouse. Her last production was “Oliver!” in 1994, when her grandson, Casey, played the Artful Dodger.

In 2004, Casey and Dorothy moved to Regency on Whidbey. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, older sister Patricia, and younger brothers Robert Blair and Allen Blair. She is survived by her husband and daughters; sons-in-law Dr. Narsingh Deo, Dr. Martin Kelly and Dr. Robert Turner; grandchildren Alok Deo, Dr. Sandhya Deo and Jyoti Deo; Jeremy Kelly, Mary Ruth Huerta, Sam Kelly, Sarah Siddons and Elizabeth Elliott; Jeff Guy and Casey Guy. Great-grandchildren are Rajan and Nikhil Deo; Noah Johnson; Aaron, Ruby and Joshua Huerta; and Soraya and Karis Guy.

A memorial service was held Feb. 23, at Whidbey Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made to the Oak Harbor Lions Club, P.O. Box 21, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Arrangements were with the assistance of Whidbey Memorial Funeral and Cremation Service, Inc. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest register at www.whidbeymemorial.com.