Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Dorothy Tarpley, can legitimately claim to be “an Okie from Muskogee,” (not necessarily proud to be). She was raised in Tulsa with her three sisters, with whom she is still very close. She married her high school sweetheart, Bill, and they have been married for over 60 years.

Dorothy and Bill moved as snowbirds to Fountain of the Sun from their summer home in Durango, Colorado. They enjoy the great weather in Arizona as well as all the activities offered in the community. Dorothy joined the Joy of Writing class in 2019, not because she was an accomplished writer, but just because she enjoys writing. The class is a perfect mix of amateurs like herself, as well as experienced, published writers. Dorothy loves that the atmosphere is relaxed, and no one is made to feel inferior about their writing. The weekly assignments are varied, to keep the writing fresh and to offer some challenges. It is also a bonus that meetings continue by Zoom in the summers when the snowbirds return to cooler climates. Dorothy has a bit of a reputation in the class for writing some of her assignments in verse.