Dorothy Irene Strilchuk

This is a celebration of life to honour Dorothy Irene Strilchuk, or “Dot” as she was known to many. She was born on May 27, 1926, in Olds, Alberta, to Beatrice and Roy Campbell. She and her brother, Roy, grew up in Lumberton, a small mill town near Cranbrook B.C. There they attended grades one to eight in a two-room school and afterwards made the daily trek to attend high school in Cranbrook. It is said Dorothy entertained herself by floating down the mill’s log flumes with the logs. When the Lumberton mill was shut down in 1941, the family moved to Cranbrook.

In high school, Dorothy was a member of the Canadian Girls in Training and the Girls Bugle Band. She was also quite the athlete - she shone on the ball field, the hockey rink, and loved to ski. After high school, she trained in nursing at St. Eugene's Hospital in Cranbrook. A natural caregiver, Dorothy took great pride in being a Registered Nurse and was concerned for all her patients, always striving to help each of them feel better.

She met Walter John Strilchuk in Kimberley. The story goes that she fell for him on first sight when she saw him in his 1947 Buick. They were married in 1949 and then moved to Portland, Oregon, where Dorothy pursued her career in nursing alongside Walt who was studying dentistry.

Walt began his career as a dentist back in Kimberley, but because of the polio epidemic in the early 50’s, there was very little work so they had to move on. With their two small children, Sue and Danny, they arrived by small seaplane in Kitimat (“Land of the Snow”), a small northern community in its infancy on the shores of the Douglas Channel. Their first accommodation was in temporary housing for workers in the smelter site beside the Aluminum Company of Canada. Wooden sidewalks, muddy, dirt roads and months of rain, lots of snow, and no facilities for entertainment, except the great outdoors. For those who liked fishing and hunting in inclement weather it was great, but not much fun for the women who were housebound with young children. When the townsite was ready a couple years later, they moved into a real home where they lived for nine years. During that time Judy and David were born, making Dorothy and Walt's young family complete.

Dorothy’s memories of Kitimat revolved around children: hers, those of the neighbors and of friends visiting from Prince Rupert. There was plenty of time for socializing during those long winters so strong friendships were made. Those snowy winters were broken up by sunny vacations every summer in Kelowna. With the four kids and all their stuff bundled up in the old station wagon, the family drove south for three days on the dusty, dirt roads of the time. You can imagine what that was like. In those days there were no seat belts so the kids had a great time bouncing around from front to back, loving the chaos, but not so the poor parents. However, those summers in Kelowna were good memories. Dorothy loved those warm days on the beach with her family, making an ideal home under less than ideal conditions in the rustic beach cottages.

The family moved to Kelowna permanently in 1961. Dorothy entertained at the beach and watched over her kids and their friends swimming in the lake. Young and old took part in water skiing everyday. It was a very busy time for her. She was most welcoming to the many visitors that arrived from the north and really enjoyed their company.

Dorothy was proud of her children and supported them in their many passions including horseback riding, fishing, and music. She helped braid horses for horse shows, helped look after all the pets, giving shelter and attention to all types of animals from dogs and cats, to goldfish, turtles and iguanas. She loved and respected all living things.

Dorothy could be found helping in concession stands at the Kelowna Riding Club, supporting school activities, and working diligently around the home. She was a wonderful cook and took night school courses in how to make great Chinese Food and traditional Japanese Food. Thanks to Walt’s Mom she learned to make perogies and cabbage rolls, the family favourites. In addition to all this, she also found time to work at the dental office.

After her kids had moved on she devoted time to one of her passions: music. She loved to study and play the piano. Listening to music was also a favourite pastime, and how she loved the sound of the Scottish bagpipes and Big Band music!

She was a talented artist as well. Her creativity was expressed through her exquisite painted dishes and her paintings at the David Lloyd Jones Home. She knit many an Indian sweater and crocheted beautiful afghans for her family. She took up golf. Dorothy and Walt were members of the Michaelbrook Golf Club and spent a lot of their retirement golfing there and socializing with their friends afterwards. She often reminded Walt that she got two holes in one--over his none.

She loved traveling with Walt to many places around the world, but it was the cabin at Headwaters that became their "home away from home." She made it comfortable for her family and friends who loved to spend time there in the serenity of nature. In the winter she enjoyed skating and cross country skiing; in the summer she loved floating around on the raft on the little lake. There was never an end to the work of maintaining the cabin.

Dorothy and Walt spent a few years in White Rock, but eventually retired permanently in Kelowna to be closer to their growing family. Dorothy especially loved her 4 grand-children (Kevin and Ryan, Jordan, and Devon) and 7 great-grandchildren (Eva, Maya, Demi, Graci, Lucy, Aspen, and Heagan). She loved and had a way with all children, especially the young ones, and they adored her! Her passion was her family.

Dorothy believed in God and was a member of the United Church. It was her faith in God that kept her strong through some difficult times when Walt passed away in 2007 and Danny followed in 2010.

She met many people through her active life and was most happy helping friends and neighbours. She found the good in people. Dorothy was born with a quiet, kind, compassionate, and gentle spirit; she really was an angel. Her gentle spirit and generosity and loving smile will be missed by all.

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Tribute by Jordan Marshall:

I’m not good with writing a lot of feelingsy things but I’d just like to thank her for being such an important part of my life. From driving me to golf, school, hockey. Teaching me piano, even though I hated it. Taking care of me and making summers fun while you were at work. I’d also like to thank her for the hundreds of delicious pies and other treats I was able to consume and the weight gain that followed. She was such an amazing person and my life wouldn’t be the same without her.

Tribute by Devon Strilchuk

Everyone here has their own memories of Dorothy and I would like to share a few of mine. For those who don’t know me, my name is Devon and to me Dorothy was Grandma Dot.

Grandma Dot was there the day I was born and I left the hospital dressed in the outfit she had knit for me. Years later Grandma taught me how to knit and we would spend hours knitting dish cloths and hours more pulling them apart and redoing them. She also taught me to play the piano. She was the most patient person I’ve ever known.

Grandma’s favorite thing to do was worry. And she was very good at it. Once when I was little, Aunty Judy took me for a walk by the creek near Grandma’s. My shoe got stuck in some rocks, the current took it away and we chased it down. When we got back to Grandma’s I was soaked from head to toe and I remember expecting Grandma to fuss and worry. Instead, as Aunty Judy explained how she fished me out of the creek, Grandma tried desperately not to laugh out loud. Grandma Dot’s humour was unpredictable.

And her laughs were contagious. I remember Grandma and dad and Aunty Judy would be talking about some funny story (usually involving Grandpa Walt or Uncle Danny) and Grandma would start laughing. And that would get Dad and Aunty Judy going and soon the three of them would have tears rolling down their cheeks and holding their stomachs - and mom and I would laugh so hard just watching them crying and laughing uncontrollably. Those were the best.

Some quick memories:

- Making PlayDo spaghetti on Grandma’s kitchen table and never worrying about the mess.

- Cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast.

- The stuffed rabbit she gave me that has made the cut from countless others and still sits on my bed.

- The place settings at Grandma’s dinner table always had party crackers and scratch tickets.

- Lunch at Michael brook golf course was always fish and chips with hot chocolate.

- Getting in our housecoats and driving the length of 6 houses to the swimming pool, where she taught me how to float on my back, then driving home to eat

chocolate mint ice cream.

- The wall clock Grandma made when I was a baby. It has little bears where the numbers should be and when asked what time it is, we still like to say it’s a bear past a bear.

- Grandma loved to have fun at family functions but she was always a lady and would never consider drinking a whole beer to herself. Instead, she would happily split 3 or 4 with Aunty Judy or mom.

- If something was really nice Grandma would say it was “Swish” or “Fancy”.

- Every dog Aunty Judy ever owned worshiped Grandma Dot. We used to think she was some kind of dog whisperer until we found out she was always packing wieners in her pocket.

- And finally, you would never hear Grandma Dot say a bad word about anyone and she always found the good in everyone. I hope one day

So, thank you, Grandma for being my Grandma Dot and for giving me so many precious memories. There will always be a bit of you in everything that makes up me.

Good-bye Grandma Dot. I love you.

Tribute from Bill Cogswell:

"I am Bill Cogswell

and wish to say the Strilchuks and my family are

long lasting friends since 1951 when first meeting in

the Alcan construction townKitimat. I was there with my

tugboat, and was happy for Walters arrival, as I did need

some teeth. I may have been his first patient.

Our two families blended together very easily,

and we soon became involved in the social clubs and more.

In 1954 we moved to Kemano, the power house

town, but still continued our close friendship with Walter and Dorothy.

Thru the years the Strilchuks moved to Kelowna and the Cogswells

Moved to Saltspring Island. Our friendship endured and

and we yearly spent a short holiday on the Strilchuk beach with our

boats teaching the kids to swim, water ski, and sail.

The reward for doing well was a trip to the Dairy Queen.

Our trips to Kelowna wouldn't be complete if we

missed going up to the cabin at 2nd Lake.

What great times we had there!!

The crib games, what a hoot they were, with a bit of liquid refreshment.

It was always sad to leave there, saying good bye and see you soon.

Then it would be our turn to be hosts. When they came

to Saltspring and later to Ladysmith for their holiday

we would take a trip on our boat. We enjoyed fishing

and roamed the coast, south to Seattle and north to Hakai Pass.

It was always sad to return to home port and tie up for the season.

So now our Dearest Friend Dorothy has returned for the season.

May God Be With Her.

from. Capt. Bill & Janice Cogswell

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“To live in the hearts of loved ones is to live forever."

Strilchuk, Dorothy Irene (nee Campbell): Dorothy was born in Olds, Alberta, on May 27, 1926. She passed away peacefully February 27, 2016, at the age of 89. She and her brother, Roy, grew up in Lumberton and Cranbrook, B.C. She graduated from high school in Cranbrook and was a proud member of the Girls Bugle Band. She went on to train as a Registered Nurse, followed by a nursing career at St. Mary’s Hospital. She married Walter Strilchuk from Kimberley, B.C., and they raised their children in Kitimat, B.C., and Kelowna. She was a very creative woman which she expressed in her music by playing the piano and in many forms of artwork through painting. In retirement she enjoyed traveling to many parts of the world, playing golf, and being at the cabin at Headwaters. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter J. Strilchuk (2007). She was the proud mother of Susan (Mohr), Judy (Marshall), Danny (deceased 2010) and David. Mourning her loss are 3 children and their partners, 4 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. A special thank you to the staff at David Lloyd Jones for all the care shown to Dorothy. A celebration of life will be held at First Memorial Funeral Services, 1211 Sutherland Ave on Wednesday, March 9, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society or a charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.firstmemorialfuneralkelowna.com. Arrangements entrusted with First Memorial Funeral Services, Kelowna, BC 250-762-2299