Peacefully in Victoria, BC on May 25, 2009. Born 20 May, 1923, Dorothy (née Elvidge) was the beloved wife of Bob for 58 years; loving mother of Eric (Katharine), Steven (Martine), Janet (Ron Citynski), Terry (Monique), Greg (Michelle), and Laurie (George Schell). She will also be missed by her 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Dorothy grew up in Alberta, and after teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in the Peace River district, served as a VAD during WWII, then graduated from UBC with a degree in botany – and a husband! She never lost her love of gardening and the great outdoors, as an intrepid hiker (hiking Baffin Island while carrying a 50-lb pack at 65), an accomplished sailor (who crewed across the Atlantic, and throughout the British Virgin Islands), a canoeist (she and Bob built a cedar-strip canoe at their Kinburn farm), a cross-country skier, and a snowshoer. Dorothy was imaginative and creative. She enjoyed drawing, painting, working with clay, and she helped Bob design, landscape and build a home in Agassiz, BC; a cottage in Quebec; and a farmhouse in Kinburn, Ontario. Dorothy loved to travel and explored new places and cultures with keen interest and sense of adventure.
While raising a family of six and enjoying her many grandchildren, Dorothy kept active in the community. During their years in the Ottawa area she volunteered at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (her specialty being First Nations of the Canadian West Coast), the University Women’s Club (Ottawa), and the Kanata Library.
Dorothy also enjoyed her own sibling gatherings, notably a trip back home to England, to her father’s Lincolnshire farmhouse.
She and Bob moved to Victoria, BC in 2000, where she particularly enjoyed visits with their grandchildren.
Mom will be deeply missed: her quiet optimistic attitude and grace under pressure will continue to guide all who knew her. The family gives sincere thanks to the caring staff of Mount St. Mary Hospital in Victoria.
A small memorial will be held in Victoria Monday, June 1 at 1 p.m. at McCall’s Family Centre, Johnson & Vancouver St. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation honouring Dorothy’s caregivers to the Mount St Mary Foundation, 861 Fairfield Rd, Victoria BC, V8V 5A9.
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Ann Elvidge
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Ron and Gail White Dear Bob, Eric, Steven, Janet, Terry, Greg, Laurie and Families,
How well Ron and I remember the Fletchers from ‘way back in the years onTiffany Crescent. I was only 21 when we settled into our home in what at that time was an isolated community. Dorothy enriched and influenced my life. She was kind, she was sensible, she was smart, she was wise. She was, warm, patient and calm. She had and imparted the gift of curiosity, and she utterly lacked pretension of any kind. Truly, Dorothy was one of the great ladies of this world – the genuine article, the real thing.
She and Bob dispensed doses of wisdom only when asked. It was always tempered with understanding, laced with common sense, leavened with humor and offered in easily digestible portions. I squatted by the pond while Dorothy gardened and I pondered matters philosophical with all the passion and niavete of any 20-something. She was gentle, tolerant and respectful and she helped clarify so much. To this day I find myself echoing the way she would sometimes start a sentence with, “Well, when you think that all the way through to its logical conclusion”… This often led me to down a road to discovery that felt to me, at the time, like original thought. She really had a way of pulling the dots together so that you could connect them.
I remember the Fletcher family outings in the V-W BUS, maple syrup production in the kitchen, and all kinds of activities encouraged and presided over by that serene, grounded lady. As all the little Fletchers grew, they babysat, shovelled snow and generally provided considerable interest for their neighbours. I went out to work, life changed, I hardly ever saw her again, and then one day they moved away.
What I remember above all about Dorothy was how she understood, had faith in, and respected the very best in each of her children.
We follow the adventures of Katharine and Steven as chronicled from time to time in the “Ottawa Citizen” and smile. We send our deepest sympathy to all of you in the loss of such a treasure.
Sincerely – your “old” neighbours, Ron and Gail White
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Fred and Ann Thompson I remember when Ann and I were at the Fletcher’s beautiful log house in the country near Ottawa with a group of CACOR members, Bob was describing pictures on the screen and Dorothy was running the projector. Bob was continually calling out “Focus,,,,,focus!”. Then after quite a number of such pictures went by, Dorothy was heard to say “I’d better get my glasses.”
They were a delightful couple that we all enjoyed.
Fred.
I just want to let you know that we are so sorry not to be able to attend as you celebrate your dear mum’s wonderful life today.
I personally didn’t get to know “Aunt Dode” particularly well until she and Bob moved to Victoria. However, on the wonderful huge family get-togethers (particularly Uncle George & Aunt Marilyn’s annual “pre-Christmas do” and Aunt Barb’s annual “wiener roast”, I found her to be a very warm and caring person and thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with her.
I know she will be missed terribly by you all and I offere my sincere condolences to you.
Our thoughts are with you at this sad time.
With our love,
Ann, Katie & Amy Elvidge