‘Mother of bone marrow transplantation’ dies

“Dottie was there at Don’s side through every part of developing marrow transplantation as a science,” said Fred Appelbaum, MD, executive vice president and deputy director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

“Besides raising 3 children together, Dottie was Don’s partner in every aspect of his professional life, from working in the laboratory to editing manuscripts and administering his research program.”

Dottie’s journalism training was a big asset to the team, according to Don.

“In the laboratory days, my friends pointed out that Dottie, who had the library experience, would go to the library and look up all the background information for a study that we were going to do, and then she would go into the laboratory and do the work and get the data, and then, with her writing skills, she’d write the paper and complete the bibliography,” Don recalled. “All I would do is sign the letter to the editor.”

The couple moved to Seattle in 1963. Don joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 1975, the year its doors opened in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. For the next 15 years, Dottie served as the chief administrator for the Clinical Research Division. Don stepped down from the clinical leadership position in 1990 and retired from the center in 2002.

The Thomases are survived by 2 sons and a daughter, 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

The family requests that people who wish to honor Dottie do so by contributing to Dottie’s Bridge, an endowment to assist young researchers.