Doris Louise McEwan

Doris was born on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia and moved to Nanaimo with her family when she was a young teenager. As the only girl, she had to wash coal-dust coated lunch boxes for her dad and brothers. When her dad passed away, she quit school and went to work as a telephone operator at BC Tel until she had her children Randy, Steve (deceased), and Charlie. Her husband, Gordon McNeil, and the boys loved camping. She did not. Nor did she appreciate holly trees for Christmas, rather than the pine she requested. She returned to BC Tel/Telus when the children needed dental work and the living room needed new curtains. She remained at Telus until technology suggested her retirement.

After she divorced her first husband, she married Doug McEwan who shared her love of dancing and travelling. Sadly, she lost him to cancer a few years later. She has been with her current partner Roger Bryce for 18 years. Doris and Roger knew each other for many decades; luckily, she forgave him for putting a snake down her shirt in the early days. In her later years, she enjoyed cruising, winning money at the Nanaimo casino, and eating Chinese take-out from the Quality Foods in Harewood. Complaining about Trump was a bit of a passion.

She had an extensive collection of grandchildren and great-grandchildren via descent and acquisition. Randy and/or spouse Teresa Swim provided Austin McNeil, Mercedes McNeil (deceased), Taylor Swim, Jamie Swim, Dakota Swim-McNeil, Logan Swim-McNeil, great-grands Charlee and Trevor McBryan, and Ariana, Sofia, and Theodore McNeil. Charlie and/or spouse Katrinka Scott supplied Jeremiah Scott-Burns, Bracken Burns (Damon McLean), Lorien McNeil (Derek Brent) and great-grands Tanner, Lucky, and Niko Scott, Io and Lilith Brent, and Andie McLean. She also considered Roger’s grandson, Thomas Bryce, to be one of her own.

She will be missed.

The interment will be held Saturday, Sep 26 at 1:00 pm at the Bowen Road Cemetery with a gathering to say good-bye following.