Mrs. Cartwright wrote a weekly newspaper pet column for which she received a Dog Writers Association of America national award. She also created and hosted a television series about purebred animals. She was the founding President and lobbyist for Nevada Dog Fanciers, a statewide organization formed to lobby for state and local dog hobbyist laws. They got two hobbyist ordinances passed, and also convinced the county commissioners to build and maintain a park to be used for dog training, shows and matches – which it still does. She was a professional groomer for more than ten years, conducted obedience and conformation classes, and held various offices in Nevada all-breed and obedience clubs. She was the first licensed AKC judge in Nevada for both obedience and for breed, receiving initial obedience approved in 1968 and breed in 1972. She is Past President of Northwest Dog Show Judges Group, Past President of Clackamas Kennel Club, and a member of Dog Fanciers Assoc of Oregon and Senior Conformation Judges Group.

In her other life, Mrs. Cartwright was a Certified Financial Planner, Past President of the Portland Chapter of International Association for Financial Planning, creator and host of two consumer finance programs, author of Can I Trust you with My Money? and has been named three times to Who’s Who.