Dorothy Regina Smith

She was born in Regina on December 12, 1935, to Frank and Magdalena (Maggie) Klein and was the eldest of 2 children. She lived on the Klein farm near Odessa, SK and attended Pleasant View School and later attended high school in Elasian Holy Family Convent in June 1952.

Dorothy then moved to Regina where she worked as a bank teller. It was around that time that she was a bridesmaid for her cousin Pat (Zerr) Maiers and Arnie Maiers wedding, when she met the groomsman Adolph John Smith. John and Dorothy were married October 19, 1954, in the Holy Family Church in Odessa. They began their life together in Regina where their 4 children Paul, Kathy, Laura and Michael were born.

Dorothy and John had a cottage at Lasal Bay on Last Mountain Lake and near the village of Dilke. In 1962 they moved their family to Dilke where they became the owners/operators of the Dilke Hotel. With their children ages 1 week to 7 years old, they took a huge leap from their home and salaried job in the city to a small-town hotel that was in need of repair, with no sewer and water.

In the 9 years of life in Dilke they experienced continuous improvement in the quality of lifestyle. Dorothy and John worked on community projects, serving on committees and enjoyed many social events and made many lifelong friends.

In 1970 Dorothy and John took up the challenge of a larger hotel that took them to The Country Squire Motor Hotel in Fort Qu’Appelle. After a few more years in the hotel business, John and Dorothy ventured into the ski business and purchased Mission Ridge Ski Hill, which is still owned and operated by their son Michael and Angie and their family since 2001. In 1984 Dorothy and John also got into the golf business when they purchased Echo Ridge Golf Course and then sold it in 2001.

Dorothy and her husband John shared many adventures, challenges and accomplishments in life and business. So many close & dear friends were made along the way.

After John passed away in June 2005, Dorothy stayed in their house on the hill and then moved to her condo in town that their son Paul (Smith Construction) built in 2012 where she continued to live until her passing. Dorothy was a strong, smart, caring woman and navigated life so independently up until these past 3 years when her health began to be very challenging and was too much for her to do it on her own. So, with the help of Laura and Dave, the rest of the family and homecare she was able to the stay in her home until October 30, 2023, when she was admitted to the hospital where she fought hard and was determined she was going home.

Dorothy was predeceased by husband John; son Paul; son-in-law Ron; grandson Curtis; granddaughter Charlotte; brother Richard; parents Frank and Maggie Klein; father and mother-in-law Peter and Ann Smith and numerous sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, aunts and uncles.

She is survived by daughters Kathy Loverin and Laura (Dave) Ross; son Michael (Angie) Smith; grandchildren: Jaret, Ashley, Mindy, Tanner, Owen and Lyndon and 12 great-grandchildren. Also surviving Dorothy are brother-in-law Robert Smith; sister-in-law Bernadette Heston and numerous nephews and nieces.

The funeral mass was celebrated in Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, Fort Qu’Appelle on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. by Very Rev. Dennis Remot. The urn bearers were Owen Smith and Lyndon Smith. A private family interment took place in Lakeview Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Dorothy may be made to the Stars Air Ambulance, 2640 Airport Road, Regina, SK S4W 1A6 or on the website: www.stars.ca.