Dorothy Miles

On Sunday, November 8, 2020, Dorothy Miles (Brown), beloved sister, aunt, mother and friend, died at 93. Dorothy was born in Toronto and was the first child of Les and Reta (Cuthbert) Brown. She was a fiercely independent woman who followed her passion for learning and travel when social norms kept many women from doing so. One adventurous trip, the 1983 WLU Archaeological Field Trip to Jordan, Egypt, Israel and Syria, stood out. Not just because of the ancient civilizations' majesty, but she had her passport stolen from her bag in a market and getting another so she could leave the country was its own adventure.

Dorothy was a voracious reader, lifelong learner and went on to become a teacher. She graduated from the School of Nursing at Women's College Hospital in 1949. Soon afterward, she moved out to BC and then onto California and Boston pursuing her nursing career as a surgical nurse. Dorothy went on to get her BSc in Nursing from Boston University (1966) and a Master of Education Degree from Northwestern University in 1971. An offer for an Associate Professor position at the University of Toronto brought her back to Canada. She ended her career when she retired as Acting Director of Nursing at K-W Hospital.

She loved the outdoors and Northern Ontario landscape and went from portaging canvas tents with wooden poles to nylon tents with shock-cord poles on wildness trips. Her last big trip was through Killarney with her Brother, Ron, and his nieces and nephews when she was in her 70s. Ron and Dorothy canoed the Suwannee River from Okefenokee Swamp down to Florida. It was canoeing that brought Dorothy and Lou Bretton together after joining the Senior's Canoe Club in 1993.

Dorothy's son Richard Miles, her husband Ron Miles and her dear friend Lou predecease her. She is survived by her brother Ron Brown, his wife Elinor and their two children Laura (Mark Laird) and Greg (Brenda Cathcart). And her sister Margert Bishenden, her husband Doug and their three children Brian (Lori), Warren (Elizabeth) and Val (Gord Mackay). Having once been a US citizen, Dorothy would have loved that they've elected a woman as their next VP during her lifetime.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all the staff at Winston Park, especially those who cared for her in Emma's Place.

There will be no service as per her wishes, but donations toward Alzheimer's (Alzheimer.ca) or Breast cancer (cancer.ca) research would honour her.