Dawn Isabel Bevan

Dawn was the only child of Gladys and Jack Nesbitt. She took her schooling in Saskatoon attending Buena Vista Elementary School and then Nutana Collegiate. Dawn continued her education at City Hospital in the School of Nursing from which she received her degree in Nursing in 1953.

Dawn met the love of her life, Art Bevan, at “Young Peoples”, a youth group hosted by Grace-Westminster Church in Saskatoon. In the fall of 1953, they were married and moved to the Bevan farm near Druid, Saskatchewan where they raised their five children: Bob (Jeanne) Bevan, Kim (Dennis) Swan, David (Maxine) Bevan, Jamie (Les) Rogal, Kerrie (Bryan) Nybo. As the family grew, Dawn treasured her 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, loving every minute with them. She was the model for “how to be a Grandma” and the best cheerleader, encouraging everyone in their various activities. She understood quality time, sharing stories, playing games, doing crafts and creating memories. She was fun loving and loved sharing jokes and she had a great toy closet – especially the duck that flopped when it walked. Staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s was always a treat including movie nights with lots of snacks as well as playing tennis with Grandma. Grandma always told the Grandchildren not to be afraid to hit it at her as hard as they wanted.

All who knew Dawn will remember her love of life, her love of a challenge and her energetic nature. She was never afraid to say “why not” and then just made it happen. Dawn formed a Candy Stripers group at the Dodsland Hospital, as well as starting the North West Central Track Club (that competed against athletes from across the province). She not only coached and refereed high school basketball, but taught figure skating and power skating. She organized and choreographed local skating carnivals and was a figure skating judge across Western Canada.

Dawn brought people together through her love of the Arts. She produced and directed Dinner Theatre in Dodsland for sixteen years and carried the tradition forward to Biggar, Saskatoon Gateway Players, Summer Players and 10th Street Players. Dawn loved entering a play in the provincial drama festivals. At the age of 77, Dawn auditioned for Corner Gas and starred in Season 5, Episode 18. She loved to read and enjoyed writing, publishing not one but two cookbooks as well as writing hundreds of poems for friends and family. She was especially proud of her 25 years of writing poems for CFQC’s Denny Carr.

Dawn was an avid shopper and she knew a good deal when she saw it. She had a pair of clip earrings for every outfit and shoes to match. If she couldn’t find what she was looking for she would make it. Her sewing skills were often put to use in drama productions, costumes for ice carnivals and making uniforms for high school teams. Dawn was an accomplished artist, painting murals at the Dodsland Hospital, North West Central High School, and in the Circle Centre Mall in Saskatoon. She belonged to the Saskatoon Painter’s Club often entering her paintings in the Saskatoon Exhibition. Every family member has a “Dawn” painting. Dawn loved to play sports especially tennis and golf. She participated in the Provincial Senior Tennis games in women’s doubles and played weekly in a Women’s Group at the Wildwood Golf Course.

Dawn was a valued committee member, helping to plan both Nutana reunions and City Hospital Nurses reunions. She was active in her church, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school and was once the local representative at the National United Church Convention in Montreal.

Dawn was a nominee for both the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Saskatoon Citizen of the Year. In 2005 she received a Saskatchewan Centennial Medal for her community work. Community involvement was so important to Dawn and one of her prize possessions was a quilt, signed by and given to her by the Dodsland Community Players.

Special thanks to the doctors and nurses in the Emergency Department at Royal University Hospital for the wonderful care given to Dawn. Celebration of Dawn’s life will be at a later date.