Dorothy L. Fitzel

Dorothy was born at 5:35AM on a Friday morning on May 10, 1918 in Hayden, Arizona, a mining community in Central Arizona.  Her parents were Alta and Lewis Camp.  Lewis worked in the copper mines in Hayden.

Family History:

Her father, Lewis King Camp was born in Wisconsin.

Her mother, Alta Myla MacDougal was born in Indiana.

Ray Johnissio Fitzel (Dorothy's husband) was born in Manly, Iowa on March 17, 1914.

Ray's father, John was born in Plymouth, Iowa.

Ray's mother, Anna Pinneke, was born in Monona, Iowa.

They moved to Los Angeles when Dorothy was two years old.  Her father was involved with the formation of the Major League Baseball Players Association, as one of the founding members.  He was awarded a lifetime gold pass to major league baseball.  In L.A., Lewis had employment in the brewing business.  Her mother, Alta worked in Huntington Park for the telephone company.

Dorothy was involved in the Camp Fire Girls from 1930 to 1934 in her teens.  Dorothy had two siblings; Dan who died as a teenager from a burst Appendix, and Rose.  Rose married Dan Frazee.  Rose and Dan had three children, Dan, Tom, and Mimi.  Rose and Dan Frazee have both passed away and their son, Dan has also passed away.  Tom lives in Central Mexico and Mimi lives in Oceanside, California.

The Camps resided on Winsett Street in Los Angeles.  Dorothy attended schools in the area, including John C. Fremont High School, where she graduated.  It was in high school where she met Raymond John Fitzel.  Both were graduates of Fremont High School.  

Ray and Dorothy married after high school on July 9, 1937 and moved to Rugby Street in Huntington Park.  They later purchased a home in 1941 at 2839 Flower Street in Huntington Park.  Ray worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad, a profession he held until his retirement.  When World War II broke out, Ray was needed in the U.S. for the transportation of military equipment, and therefore was not drafted for the war.  

Dorothy was a stay at home mom.  Ray and Dorothy raised two sons on Flower Street.  Gordon was born in 1940 and Steve was born in 1948.

Ray, at the time was a pitcher for the Tweedy Merchants, a AAA softball team, which was the highest level of softball in Southern California.  Their team won the prestigious AAA league championship.  

The family was quite active with camping, backpacking, scouting, church, fishing, attending major league football and baseball games, and church softball league.

In 1967, Ray and Dorothy moved to 3916 Cudahy Street, Huntington Park.  It was there that Ray was diagnosed with Melanoma Cancer.  He was forced into retirement.  Ray died on August 17, 1971.  His dream after retirement was to move to Bishop, California near the Sierra Nevada Mountains that he loved.

After Ray died, Dorothy went to work at Bell High School.  In 1984, Dorothy moved to Huntington Beach where she bought a mobile home in the Los Amigo Mobile Home Park.  There she made many close friends.  They socialized, played, and traveled frequently.  She was also active in the Monday Morning Club, and the Huntington Beach Girls Golf group that played every week at Driftwood Golf Club.

Dorothy's Volunteer Work in Huntington Park:

Miles Ave. and Gage Junior High PTA

PTA President at Gage Junior High

Received Honorary Life Membership for her 16 years of service to the PTA

She was also safety chairman for the regional "Olympic Council" of PTA

Served on the Huntington Park Chamber of Commerce

In 1983, she was named "Woman of the Year" by the Huntington Park Chamber of Commerce

Cub Scout Den Mother for Pack 5418

In 1981, she served as Director of Parks and Recreation for 4 years for the City of Huntington Park

Huntington Park Civic Theatre, and was president in 1979

Served on the councils of the YMCA and YWCA

Huntington Park Methodist Church "Alphaettes"

While employed at Bell High School, she served as Treasurer for the Bell/Maywood Rotary Club

Dorothy's Volunteer work in Huntington Beach:

Newland House Docent 

Huntington Beach Community Playhouse Usher

Los Amigos Mobile Home Park committee for fund raising

Reader at the Huntington Beach Children's Library

Reader at Oak View Elementary School

Worked on several committees for the City of Huntington Beach

Dorothy's Family:

Gordon is a retired teacher/coach and lives in Huntington Beach with his wife, Linda.  Linda is a health care professional, and was such a valuable asset and friend to Dorothy the last six years of her life.

Gordon has two children, Scott and Polly.  Scott was born in 1978 is an artist and lives in Hawaii.  Heidi was born in 1981 and is a teacher and her husband, Grant Bixby is in real estate.  They live in Newport Beach. Heidi and Grant have two children.  Zoe is 15 and is a student/athlete at Newport Harbor High School and Kai who is a a student/athlete at Ensign Junior High School.  Their mother, Polly, also lives in Newport Beach.

Steve and Lori Fitzel live in Tempe, Arizona.  Steve is a former PGA golf professional and is currently a plant broker and a retail food distributor.  Lori is a professional hair stylist.  They have a daughter, Somer who is married to Sean Zimmerman.  They have a two year old daughter, Elle.  Somer is a rep in the beauty and hair product industry and Sean is in real estate development.  They also live in the Phoenix area, in Paradise Valley.

In 2015, at the age of 95, Dorothy needed assisted care after falls resulting from severe Arthritis in both feet and knees.  Her residences, thanks to Linda's hard work and research, included stays at Seaside Terrace in Fountain Valley, Huntington Terrace in Huntington Beach, and a short stay at an in-home care facility, Assisted Living Care in Huntington Beach, where she passed away at the age of 100 years and 5 weeks.

Ray and Dorothy are finally united after 47 years.  They are enjoying the mountains they loved so much.

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