Peacefully passed away at St. Joseph's at Fleming, Peterborough on November 24th, 2023 in her 96th year.
She was born in Hamilton, Ontario to Lena Ellen Honeyford and John George Boyes, and moved to Dundas at age 14 where her father had their family home built (which they called Valley Hill). She lived there until 2019.
Dorothy was raised a devout Christian. In her early years, she especially enjoyed playing the piano, singing with U of T Symphony, book binding, hat & suit making, and reading. On her artistic side she enjoyed sculpting pottery, making jewelry, and woodworking,
A graduate of District Highschool, then University of Toronto, she studied Occupational Therapy (OT). After interning in Burnaby BC, she was sent to Baltimore in order to gain knowledge and then worked to establish the ground breaking Cerebral Palsy Center in Hamilton. She spent countless hours working with children directly (and their families) to master activities of daily living.
She married George Kenneth Bennett in 1955 after meeting through a YMCA Social group (So-Ed). She was very involved with the opening & development of St Mark's United Church, volunteering her time and energy in many capacities with teaching Sunday School as a choir member, an elder, and especially in starting the Co-Op Nursery School.
Dorothy was Program Planning chair for Consumers Affairs, and was always involved in volunteering within the community, particularly with Heart & Stroke and Cancer fundraising. She was an active participant in Probus professional & business organization of which Ken was President. She loved researching anything health and wellness related and was an avid believer of "life-long learning."
Dorothy especially loved flower arranging and gardening, and was a member of the Gardening club and Horticultural Association. Music, photography, and antiquing remained lifelong hobbies. She was exceptionally passionate about animals. Additionally, she enjoyed dancing, (everything from Scottish & Ballroom to Line & Square dancing) as well as scrapbooking and creating a variety of crafts with stones, shells and driftwood she collected. She truly loved attending concerts of the Hamilton Philharmonic and plays by the Dundas & Ancaster Little Theatres. Surprisingly, she also really liked watching the demolition derby at the Rockton Fair.
With their passion for cultural heritage and preserving the past, Dorothy and Ken were very active members of the Hamilton Historical Board, the Dundas Museum and the McNabb Circle (Dundurn Castle) of which Ken was a founding member. She loved exploring her family history (genealogy) with Ken.
Dorothy was a long time member of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton Naturalist Club Dundas Conservation Authority and the Bruce Trail Association. Many happy seasons were also spent as members of the National Campers & Hikers Association (NCHA).
After taking off time to raise her family, Dorothy returned to her career at Henderson Hospital. Here she pioneered the OT patients' Horticultural Therapy program.
In addition to her accomplished career, Dorothy was an avid lover of nature- particularly inspired through cross-country skiing, skating hiking, and especially camping, swimming, kayaking and canoeing in "the great outdoors." Her favourite spots were the interior of Algonquin and Killarney Provincial parks where she enjoyed canoe tripping with her family and pets (2 cats and a dog).
"Dot" as she was affectionately called, loved travelling, particularly to unspoiled, unpopulated regions. Her trips, particularly to Newfoundland...an Alaska/Yukon cruise... travels throughout the Caribbean accompanying her daughter on university student recruitment trips...visiting Cuba as one of the first Canadian tourists to visit...to Turkey & Jordan with friends, and their pilgrimage to the Holy Land- all gave her wonderful lasting memories. Dorothy had a zest for adventure. In her early 60's she travelled many a back road through Belize in the back of a land rover, stopping to climb steep Mayan temples and traverse through the jungle.
Dorothy had many passions, but no hobby or adventure, compared to her unwavering dedication to and her love for her family and relatives. For many years, she was a caregiver for ailing relatives in her home. She always put the well being of others first. Dorothy was exceptionally caring, hardworking, and always ready with a smile, twinkling eye and helping hand. She maintained a strong work ethic and impeccable integrity throughout her life.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters Cynthia (Larry) and Cheryl, plus her grandchildren Christopher (Sarah), Erin (Kyle) and Brett (Kendall) along with her great grandchildren Rory, Isla and Silas. She is preceded in death by her sister in infancy, Wilhomena and by her beloved husband, Ken.
Services will be held in Dundas in the new year. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Alzheimer's Society in honour of Dorothy.
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