Mrs. Suzanne Augusta Dodson

February 3, 1933 - March 6, 2014 .

Peacefully, at the Lions Gate hospital in North Vancouver on Thursday, March 6, 2014, Suzanne passed away. She was predeceased by her beloved

husband, Earl, in 2008. She was the eldest daughter of Capt. Charles W. Cates and Mrs. Sue Cates, part of the Pioneer Cates family of North Vancouver. She is survived by her two sisters - Janet Fox (Stanley) of Victoria and Catherine Halliday of Quesnel, as well as six nieces and nephews, and 5 great nieces and nephews. Born in 1933 and raised in North Vancouver, Suzanne learned to play the piano (and read music!) before she was old enough for school.

She accompanied the singing of her classmates from grade one in Queen Mary to grade 12 in North Van High. After graduating from UBC with a BA, Suzanne decided to attend UBC library school, and went on to achieve her degree in library science. She accepted a position in the UBC library and worked

there until she retired. She and Earl had a wonderful life of travel and adventure especially in the Scandinavian countries. They studied Norwegian in order to maximize the enjoyment of their travels. Suzanne was very aware of her maritime heritage as a Cates and one of her most notable achievements was the purchase and reconstruction of the power launch “Gaviota” built in 1913 and known as the Charles H. Cates III - re launched in 1994. She and Earl became proud members of the Burrard Yacht Club and took part in many a sail - past. Exploring the wilderness played a large part in Suzanne and Earl’s leisure time. Their garden was a most unusual collection of rhododendrons and other plants native to British Columbia. Heaven help you if you referred to them by anything other than their latin names! Suzanne also had a special fondness for all animals and birds. Cats were always present in the Dodson household -- the current ones are two siblings that she always referred to as “the guys”. During the last years of her life, Suzanne faced many challenging health problems and we would like to give a special thank you to the loyal group of friends who made sure she was never lonely. A special note of thanks to sister Catherine who came down form Quesnel for almost a year to make sure Suzanne was well cared for. Her last months were also made more bearable by the

devoted care shown her by the staff of Sunrise Lynn Valley. Many thanks too for the compassionate care she received in Lion’s Gate Hospital. Dr’s Byman,

Davidson, and the staff of 4 East. At Suzanne’s request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lion’s Gate

Hospital or the charity of your choice. For those wishing to share a memory of Suzanne, please go to www.hollyburnfunerals.com