Dorothy Eileen Cole

Mom is survived by sisters-in-law Margit Duncan of Surrey, June Mulligan of Watrous, Freda Rowan of Young, Pearl Geraldi (Mel Gorbous) and Rene (Elie) Musa of Edmonton, and Eva Cole of Maple Ridge; by brother-in-law Allen (Rae) Cole of McAuley, and by dozens of nieces and nephews and their children. Mom was predeceased by her beloved parents, Robert and Elsie Duncan, and brother, Floyd Duncan, and was heartbroken to lose Dad on October 30, 2012. She was also predeceased by brothers-in-law George Cole of Maple Ridge, Harold Mulligan of Watrous, Stuart Rowan of Young, and Bill Geraldi of Edmonton; by sister-in-law and brother-in-law Pat and Wes McFarland of Drake; by brother-in-law and sister-in-law Donnie and Shirley Cole of Saskatoon; and by nephew Bruce Cole of Saskatoon; and great nephews T.J. Pinto of Edmonton and Devon Moti of Vancouver.

Mom was born in Watrous and described herself as having had a “wonderful life”. Her diaries are filled with happy memories of times spent with family and friends including growing up in Watrous, spending summers at Manitou Beach, particularly at the Chalet Pool and Danceland, and traveling on the train with her mom and dad and brother to spend time at Stanley Park in Vancouver. Grandpa Duncan was a switchman with CN Rail and Grandma Duncan, who was a wonderful cook, had a pie shop at Manitou Beach each summer from 1935-1942, where she worked virtually around the clock making and serving not only pies, cinnamon buns, cookies, and doughnuts but also full meals.

Mom and Dad grew up together in Watrous, were high school sweethearts, married on September 4, 1950, and celebrated 62 years of marriage together. Mom loved being part of the huge Cole family and Cole family picnics at Wellington Park, parties at Mom and Dad’s cabin at Manitou Beach, Ambleside, and Cole family reunions were treasured memories for Mom.

Mom excelled at school, having the top marks in her class and particularly loving math. She graduated from the Saskatoon Business College and loved her career as a legal secretary for the McKercher McCool law firm, as a medical secretary to Dr. Stype, the doctor who delivered her, and as secretary to the Town Clerk of Watrous, Randall Strachan. Mr. Strachan was very ill when Mom worked with him and Mom basically ran the Town Office herself.

Once Glenda arrived in 1962, Mom devoted herself to being a full time Mom to Glenda and Grant. She was the very best of Moms. The Cole home, with its sandbox, swing set, paddling pool, skating rink, and Mom and Dad always there dispensing treats and love, was the “go to place” for every kid on the block. Mom and Dad were very involved in every one of Glenda and Grant’s many activities and every kid knew and loved “Mr. and Mrs. Cole”.

Mom also loved her job as the secretary at Melville’s First United Church and with the Drapery Sewing Depot, College of Nursing and various Provincial Government Departments including Rural Affairs, Health, Labour, and Occupational Health and Safety in Saskatoon.

Mom loved to play bridge and other card games and had many bridge friends. She was a Past Matron of the Manitou Beach Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and loved all the wonderful times she had as a member of Regal Chapter #132 in Saskatoon and Ruth Circle. Mom was recently presented with a beautiful pin to recognize her 60 years of volunteerism with the Order of the Eastern Star.

Mom and Dad were true partners and did everything together. As Dad said at Mom and Dad’s 50th wedding anniversary party, their lives revolved around family, church and friends.

They took wonderful care of Glenda and Grant, of each other, of their parents, of many family members, and of many friends. Mom and Dad were always the ones who made the time to visit friends and family in long term care, in hospital and at home. They excelled at bringing joy to others and their lives were spent in the service of family and friends. Mom and Dad spent many hours delighting in bringing their many groups of friends together, volunteering at McClure United Church and for various organizations, attending CN and then CN Pensioner Club activities, Shrine, Masonic and Eastern Star events, reunions with their Watrous school friends, hosting parties at Ambleside, going for coffee, and going to the Park Town Hotel for lunch. Glenda and Grant were often told about how Mom and Dad’s beautiful smiles brought joy to many hearts and about how their gifts of friendship and support brought comfort to many people. By way of example, Mom was particularly renowned for her kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity, spending hours choosing exactly the right card to send to family and friends to recognize special occasions in their lives. Mom was a wise, loving, supportive, and compassionate mentor to Glenda and Grant and to so many family and friends.

Mom had a wonderful sense of humour and was the author of many skits and poems that she created for friends’ and relatives’ special occasions. She loved arranging special outings with her friends.

More than anything in the world, Mom loved Dad, Glenda, Grant, Kelly, and Bryan. She was so thrilled to become a Grandma in 1996 and loved Bryan so much, referring to him even long after she had dementia as “such a nice boy”.

In 2000, Mom developed symptoms associated with Alzheimer Disease, a disease from which Grandma Duncan also suffered. For five years, for 24 hours a day, Dad devoted his life to caring for Mom at home. Mom could not have had a better caregiver. In 2005, recognizing that we needed to share Mom’s care with others, we made the heartbreaking decision to have her admitted into long term care. Mom began to live on Reminiscent Way on May 10, 2005. Until Dad became ill in 2010 he spent six or seven hours a day with Mom at Sherbrooke, continuing his role as a partner to and caregiver for Mom, also caring for the other residents there and becoming a true ally and advocate for the incredible special care aides and nurses on Reminiscent Way. Dad made sure that Mom had the very best quality of life possible and he also brought great joy to every other life he touched at Sherbrooke. Dad’s extraordinary care of Mom, and his service to the other residents and staff of Reminiscent Way, was recognized by Manager Deb Schick in 2010 when she ensured that Dad could live next door to Mom when he too developed dementia.

Mom still knew us and continued to communicate with and care for us throughout the 14 years she had Alzheimer Disease. Each of Mom’s doctors considered her will to live, her courage, and her determination and ability to continue to communicate and to contribute to our lives and that of others to be a miracle. Mom was incredibly brave, fighting off innumerable health issues. Despite her many health issues, in the nine years Mom spent at Sherbrooke, Glenda and Grant can only remember her spending a few days ill in bed. Mom simply loved to be up, spending time with us and with the other residents and staff. Glenda and Grant are very grateful to Mom’s compassionate medical team which included Drs. Jutras, Kirk, Thorpe, Yelland, LaFramboise, and Crossley, and Laura Carney.

Glenda, Grant, Kelly, and Bryan are beyond grateful for the loving care provided to Mom and Dad by the incredible special care aides and nursing staff who have worked on Reminiscent Way for the past nine years and by other staff members who have provided service to the residents of Reminiscent Way over the years. Not only were Mom and Dad lovingly cared for, the Reminiscent Way staff also adopted Glenda and Grant as members of their “family”. There are no words to adequately express the depth of Glenda and Grant’s gratitude for the care given to our beloved Mom and Dad.

We are also very thankful for the compassion and support provided to Mom and Dad and to us by Reverend Ron McConnell and by Muriel Baxter of McClure United Church.

A celebration of Mom’s beautiful life will be held on Saturday, June 14 at 10:00 a.m. at McClure United Church, 4025 Taylor Street East (corner of McKercher Drive and Taylor Street) with Reverend Ron McConnell presiding. Lunch will follow. Interment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Glenda and Grant know that Mom would appreciate donations to the “Sherbrooke Foundation – Reminiscent Way Neighbourhood” or to McClure United Church. Arrangements have been entrusted to Acadia-McKague’s Funeral Centre. Condolences may be left online.