Dorothy (Dotty) Pauline Basgall January 26, 1955 – October 30, 2025

Born on January 26, 1955, to Bill and Marian Teach, Dotty Basgall was called home to our Heavenly Lord in the comfort of her Colorado Springs home, surrounded by family, flowers, music, and love after a courageous battle with ALS. How do you summarize 70 beautiful years that ended too soon?

Dotty was a woman of deep faith, boundless compassion, and a rich joyful spirit. While working in her youth at Disneyland, she met her very own Prince Charming, Vern Basgall—proof that even in the most magical places, God begins extraordinary stories. Together they shared 50 years of marriage filled with love, laughter, family and devotion.

Her life was one of service reflecting her unwavering faith and commitment to God, her family, and her community. As Vern’s proud military spouse, Dotty served her country by supporting the demands and sacrifices of military family life. Whether through her home, her table, or her listening ear, Dotty’s spirit of service and sacrifice touched countless lives and left a legacy of faith, love and enduring friendships wherever life’s journey took her. She loved generously and delighted in entertaining, spreading her love through hospitality, laughter, and fellowship.

Dotty had a lifelong love for all things angelic, surrounding herself with angel figurines as reminders of their gentle presence. Her admiration for angels mirrored her own love of beauty through singing, jazzercize, and crafts. Dotty also loved the majesty of God’s creation. She found joy and peace in the Rocky Mountains often listening to John Denver while camping and letting the songs of soaring peaks, open skies, and golden sunsets fill her heart with gratitude for God’s country. She also cherished the sun and the ocean during her annual Cancun vacations usually with a margarita in hand.

She leaves behind her beloved husband and soul mate Vern; her son Matt with fiancée Jill and grandchildren Annabelle and Bode; and her son Kris with his wife Michelle and their children Kaleb and Emersyn. Dotty also leaves her extended family of the many USAF Academy Cadets she and Vern sponsored and welcomed into their home-away-from-home as family. And we cannot forget her cherished pugs, Mickie and Minnie, who brought her endless joy and comfort (and some frustration).

Dotty’s life was a beautiful testament to faith, music, and love of life. She saw the beauty in all things and shared it freely with everyone she met. Christmas was her favorite season, brought to life each year through her magnificent Department 56 “Christmas in the City” display. With more than two hundred figures and over one hundred buildings, it left friends and neighbors alike in awe. Dotty’s heart, filled with love for God, her family, and all His creation, will forever inspire those who knew her. Her legacy will live on in the songs she loved, the faith she lived, and the countless lives she touched.

“May she rise with the angels and rest in the eternal peace of our Lord.”

Dotty’s Funeral services will be held at St. Peter Catholic Church in Monument, Colorado on Friday, 14 November. A rosary will be at 10AM and Mass will be conducted by Fr. Gregory at 11am followed by a reception. An interment ceremony will be held on Monday, 17 Nov, 10AM at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery.