Obituary of GREGORY – Dorothy Claire

January 22, 1917 – January 3, 2010 Dorothy Claire Gregory passed away peacefully on January 3rd just short of her 93rd birthday. She said her final goodbyes to her children and grandchildren on Christmas Day, remarking on what a wonderful life she had led and then quietly slipped away from us. Left to remember her fondly are her sons, Garry (Jan) and Doug (Janet) and her grandchildren, Jill (Gordon) Sherret, Lori (Patrick) Connellan, Ian (Sue) Gregory, Carla (Robert) Busto, Sharon, Diane and Sandra Gregory. Over the past twelve years she found great delight in her great-grandchildren, Michael and Mark Sherret, Rebecca, Jocelyn, Luke and Elise Connellan, Tayla Gregory and Evan, Tristan & Danielle Busto. Dorothy was born into the Sayers family in Stratford, ON and spent her childhood there in a lively home of four girls. She was the eldest and leaves her sisters Carol Young, Chris Hooper and Jane Racz, ( all in Sarnia, ON) to mourn her passing but keep her memory alive. Dorothy trained (as it was called in those days) at the Hamilton General Hospital and graduated as a registered nurse in 1939. She nursed for many years both full time and part time and in several different hospitals. On August 5th, 1940 she married a young musician, Glen Gregory. Music did not become his lasting profession so it was the business world that eventually took the family of four up to New Liskeard in Northern Ontario. There they spent most of the 50’s and 60’s bringing up their boys, getting involved in the community, and making many close friends. They left Ontario for the west in 1969, moving to British Columbia where Dorothy, yet again, worked as a nurse. While in BC, they lived in Vancouver and White Rock and eventually retired and moved to a home on the lake outside of Nelson, BC. It was then that they started to take yearly winter trips to California and later on, Arizona, where they again made many good friends. Dorothy enjoyed getting involved in the activities and especially liked to learn new crafts. She had always knitted and done needlepoint, but now also learned to paint, a hobby that frustrated her no end but satisfied her as well. Glen died in 1992, after which Dorothy moved into Nelson and ceased her winter adventures in the south. However, she then took many trips to Europe with her daughter-in-law, Jan and dearly loved her annual trips to Dartmouth N.S., to visit with Doug and his family. For many of those years she also travelled to Maui for a six week winter vacation with Garry. Dorothy moved to Calgary eight years ago where she quickly made yet more friends and enjoyed attending V.A.P.C.. Doug and Janet always made sure that she got a yearly trip back to Nelson to visit with friends and enjoy the beauty of the Kootenays. She was a kind and loving companion, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend and we will miss her enormously. A Celebration of her Life will be held at Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church (4612 Varsity Drive N.W.) on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. You may forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church. In living memory of Dorothy Gregory, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot Chapel, 82 Crowfoot CIRCLE N.W. Telephone: (403) 241-0044.