Dorothy Bedford Cranfill, 94, of Smyrna, Delaware, passed away on Monday July 25, 2022, at The Center at Eden Hill, Dover, Delaware.

Dorothy Minor Bedford was born June 6, 1928, the last of five children born to Louise and Will Elmer Bedford, of Stanton, Tennessee.  She had three sisters and a brother. After she graduated from Brownsville High School (Brownsville, TN) - not long after WW II had ended - she moved to Columbia South Carolina. She then moved to the Chicago area with her brother James and took an administrative job for a steel company Inland Steel.  She would later marry Norman Cranfill whom she met through James' wife, change her name to Dorothy Bedford Cranfill, and settle in northern Indiana where they raised a family - first in Gary, then in Portage, Indiana.

After she and Norman relocated to Pittsburgh in 1970, Dorothy became a highly successful real estate agent for about a decade. She and Norman split ways in the early eighties, and in 1986, after her last child was grown and out of the house, Dorothy began a career in the CIA, of which, she retired from in 2004, and settled in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

While working for the CIA, she travelled the world and was stationed in Central America and London England. She was proud to be a small-town girl who ended up working overseas for the federal government and meeting important world leaders and other interesting people. While overseas, she frugally and skillfully put away money for her retirement. Dorothy was always self-reliant.

Dorothy was a prolific artist all her life, working in oils, acrylics, pencil sketching and pastels. Some of her paintings were featured in art shows and galleries in Virginia Beach. She was also a veracious reader of novels, and once had so many books she had to start donating them to second hand stores.  She was delighted when she received the Amazon Kindle e-book device, when it came out. In the summer, she spent a great deal of each day gardening and taking care of her yard.

In retirement, Dorothy enjoyed spending time with her children, grand-children and when possible great-grand-children. And she dearly loved her little dogs, Russell and Molly, both miniature schnauzers. She enjoyed traveling and went on trips overseas with friends. She relished visiting with friends and family locally, for lunch or dinner, and holiday get togethers.

In later years she lived in Northern Virginia and then Delaware, near her sons.  And while she lived in many places, north and south, and overseas, she considered Virginia Beach, where she retired, "home."

Dorothy will be remembered for her infectious smile, great sense of humor, sharp mind, artistic talents, generosity and selflessness. She loved life and got the best out of every year she spent on earth.  Dorothy Minor Bedford will be dearly missed by all whose lives she touched.

Dorothy is survived by daughter Alicia Morrison and husband Art; sons, Mark Cranfill and wife Susan, and Allen Cranfill and his partner Nicole. She also had four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, several nieces, and many friends.

Services will be privately held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent in Dorothy's memory to the DAR-Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006-5303. Please make check payable to: Treasurer General, NSDAR

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Arrangements are by Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Smyrna.