Ellen Margaret Doughty

Ellen Doughty passed away at the Sherwood Manor Nursing Home in Abbotsford, BC on February 2, 2013, at 98 years of age. Ellen was born October 8, 1914 near Medora, Manitoba to George and Anne Marie (Lavigne) Doughty. The family moved to Winnipeg in the 1920's, where Ellen graduated from Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute in 1930 with a commercial diploma in typing, shorthand and bookkeeping. This was the beginning of the Depression and full-time work was very hard to find, but she did finally land a position with Home Publishing, a subsidiary of the printing firm Stovel Co. Ltd., where she stayed until 1953. Ellen moved on to other employment, working in administration at The Stony Mountain Institution and later as Visits and Correspondence Officer in The Matsqui Institution in Abbotsford, BC. Ellen retired in 1979 and lived independently in her home in Abbotsford until 3 years ago, when she had to go into the Sherwood Manor.

Ellen was a wonderful pianist and played in various old time bands in Manitoba and BC, entertaining at weddings, dances and other occasions. Two weeks before her 95th birthday, almost deaf and suffering from severe arthritis in her hands, she sat for two hours entertaining relatives by playing many favorite tunes from the past.

Ellen was a very independent person, who loved working in her yard, growing flowers and a vegetable garden. She also made a very tasty rhubarb wine that was much enjoyed by her visitors. Ellen spent many Christmases in Portland, Oregon with close friends and she drove her car down and back every year, including 2004 when she was 90 years old. Since she claimed to have previously “promised the general public to get off the freeways when she was 90”, she made herself ride the train or bus to Portland thereafter.

Ellen was predeceased by her father George, her mother Anne Marie (Julliette), her sisters and brothers-in-law Ethel (Bill) Chegwin and Olive (Bill) Irwin; as well as the love of her life Tom Sinclair. She is survived by numerous cousins and friends.

Ellen will be interred beside her true love Tom Sinclair at Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg at a later date.