Obituary of Dr. Dorothy Edvira John

August 5, 1932 – Richland Park, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

June 15, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Dr. Dorothy Edvira John passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at the age of 91 years.

Dorothy was born in Richland Park, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on August 5, 1932. After excelling in school and work in her early years, she sought new challenges in London, England, where she sponsored the immigration of other family members to begin new lives in the United Kingdom. Later, she immigrated to Canada, completed business studies at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University), in Montreal, QC, and began working as an investment analyst. She also assisted certain family members in establishing lives in Canada. In 1976, she and her daughter relocated to Calgary, AB, where she began working in the oil and gas industry.

Dorothy had an insatiable curiosity about the world, always traveling and learning about different cultures. Her varied interests drove her to complete a Master’s Degree at the University of Calgary and then most impressively, her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Oxford (St. Hugh’s College), which took her back to the United Kingdom for a number of years.

No obstacle stood a chance of stopping Dorothy. Adventurous well into her 80s, she traveled to Australia, China, the Middle East, and throughout Africa and Europe, pursuing her studies and learning about the world.

Dorothy’s intellect was unmatched. Her mental calculator was quicker than any computer, and when not researching, she could be heard singing movements from her beloved Handel’s Messiah, attending the opera, or enjoying philharmonic performances. She sang in the choir at Calgary’s Knox United Church for many years.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter Juliette and her partner B.K., brother Clenton and his wife Paquita, sister Janetta and her husband Mervyn, sister-in-law Patsy, and dozens of cousins, nieces, and nephews around the world.

In living memory of Dorothy John, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Dorothy’s family below.