Doreen Agnes Semadeni

Doreen was born on July 1st, 1949 to Nancy Meehaw, and Kenneth Clark in Glasgow Scotland. Kenneth a Canadian from Montreal settled in Glasgow Scotland, meeting and marrying Nancy and starting a family.

After Doreen graduated from Scotston High School she started at Langside College in Glasgow, Scotland, with designs on becoming a flight attendant. In 1970 she met Peter Semadeni at the Charities Café dance hall at the University of Strathclyde. After repeatedly turning down his requests for a dance, she finally succumbed and their love bloomed. Later they moved to London together, buying a yellow Austin Healy Sprite sports car to navigate the city.

Doreen and Peter went on to marry in Slough-Windsor, South England near London in August 1973, in a lovely Norman Church in the countryside. After marrying they lived in Slough-Windsor for a number of years, where Doreen worked in a secretarial job while Peter started his career in Hotel Management. Together they moved to Huddersfield for 3 three years where Peter taught at Huddersfield Polytechnic.

Immigrating to Toronto, Ontario from London in 1976, they settled in Thornhill, Ontario outside of Toronto later moving to Richmond Hill. Shortly after in 1978, their first son Andrew was born, later David in 1984, and then Alan in 1985.

As a Mother first, her focus was on raising her three sons, but once able, she started a business as a florist from the basement of her home in Richmond Hill.

In 1986, Doreen and family moved from Toronto to Halifax where they set down roots in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Although, moving away a couple of times to Orlando, Florida, then Edmonton and Calgary Alberta, she always had her heart in Halifax, and returned permanently in 2001.

In Halifax, she continued with her florist business, where Goody Baskets Flower Arrangements was created. She went on to work in and manage a number of flower shops around Halifax, with her final position being with Atlantic Gardens in Bedford.

Post retiring, she turned her attention to doting on her grandchildren, always sneaking them treats and bringing Smarties on every visit. She loved spending time with them whatever the holiday always helping to brighten her up.

She fought cancer multiple times over the last twelve years with the battle growing harder from 2019, going through multiple operations and radiation treatments. Forever the strong, stubborn Scot, she fought valiantly to the end, always looking after her family first.

She is survived by husband Peter, sons David, Alan and Andrew (wife Mary), and grandchildren Isabella, Maddox, Ava and Everly (Mary and Andrew). Sisters Helen, Linda, and Brother Kenneth in Scotland, as well as a number of nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Palliative Care via the QEII Foundation.