Doris was born to Carl Beck, a Denmark native who imigrated with his family at the age of 1 and became a noted landscape artist, and Nora Ray, a concert pianist from Northeast Texas. Because her father was an outdoorsman, Doris grew up loving nature and history. Both would eventually lead her to her ultimate profession — Author of guidebooks for Colorado tourist trains.

After graduating from East High School in 1939 and she began majoring in journalism at the University of Denver. However, once she met her mentor and friend, Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Boos, that major changed to geology.

Once her first degree was finished in 1944, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy WAVEs. After basic training she was stationed Pensacola Florida Naval Air Station where her "special assisgnment" for the war department was working in the chemstry lab testing boiled water. Because she was in the Navy after all, her "sea duty" consisted of taking a small passenger boat from the main base to Santa Rosa Island to swim in the Gulf of Mexico.

The decision to get her Master's Degree would change her life — Peggy Boos convinced Doris to attend the University of Wyoming in Laramie. This is where she first saw Frank William Osterwald. They were married September 3, 1947 and promply moved to Chicago, Illinois where Frank completed his Doctorate.

A woman who was always ahead of her time, Doris and her best friend, Ellen Hansen, opened Geologic Services. A drafting business in Southeast Denver which kept both new mothers at home with the kids (by this time they each had two) and still made money.

In 1964 the biggest, brightest idea of Dori's life landed square in her lap. While riding the Durango and Silverton Railroad with the family she came up with the idea to write a guidebook for the train! This was the begining of a 50 year old family business — Western Guideways, Ltd. Cinders & Smoke, A Mile by Mile Guide for the Durango and Silverton Railroad, was published in 1965.

Other books followed, including Narrow Gauge to Cumbres, and Ticket to Toltec for the Cumbres and Scenic Railroad. Her other guidebooks: High Line to Leadville, A Mile by Mile Guide for the Leadville and Colorado Southern Railroad in 1988; Rocky Mountain Splendor, A Mile by Mile Guide for the Rocky Mountain National Park, in 1989; Beyond the Third Rail in 1994; Rails Thru the Gorge, A Mile by Mile Guide for the Canon City and Royal Gorge Route in 2001; and finally Sand and Smoke, a Mile by Mile Guide for the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad in 2006.

In between writing guidebooks, Doris taught geology at the Jefferson County Outdoor Education Labs near Evergreen and Bailey for seven years. Thats when the traveling started. Frank and Doris ventured all over the globe from Hawaii and Mexico, to Austrailia and New Zeland to Switzerland and Italy. Later Doris would travel to Alaska, Canada, Nova Scocia, Washington D.C., Scandinavia, Ireland and Russia.

Doris was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lakewood, Denver Posse of Westerners, Colorado Authors League, the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Rocky Mountain Railroad Club, Colorado Railroad Museum, an Emeritus Member of the National Pen Women, and Lifetime Member of Roundhouse Preservation Inc. in Hugo.

Her husband, Frank, passed away suddenly August 27, 1989 in Alamosa, also known as "Narrow Gauge Country" to the Osterwalds.