Clara Dolly Sarlo Stewart

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Clara Stewart, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

      Dolly was born on January 23, 1937 at Plummer Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She was the daughter of Guisseppe and Assunta Sarlo. Raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

      As a young girl, Dolly was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Dolly was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Dolly was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Dolly also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Dolly was raised with three siblings. She had two older brothers, Ralph and Don and one younger sister Irene. Dolly was constantly involved in activities with her family. Dolly and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Dolly was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Dolly was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Dolly was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Dolly took part in a number of activities as a child. In her spare time she liked to knit and crochet.

      Dolly enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Dolly was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Dolly was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. She attended Tech High School-then it was Lakeway and now St. Mary's yet she did not graduate. Dolly enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was math.

      Most folks would say that Dolly was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Dolly was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Dolly best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Dolly kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Gwen Luck and Myrla Stewart. Later in life, she remained friends with Gwen Luck.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Dolly. On October 26, 1957 Dolly married William Stewart at First Baptist Church of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She was totally committed to William and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Dolly naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Dolly disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Dolly was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Dolly was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Dolly was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Dolly was blessed with four children, three sons, Stacy, Darcy, Jeffrey and one daughter Roxanne. They were also blessed with sixteen grandchildren, Christa, Johna, Anne Marie, Anthony (A. J.), Brandon, Spencer, Morgan, Dommanic, Owen, Calvin, Maverick, Ava-Anne, Sky-Lyn, Kim, Anthony, and Brian.

      If you gave Dolly a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Dolly was always on task. Without hesitation, Dolly could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was the food service industry. She was employed by several places. During that time, Dolly excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Dolly was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Dolly had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Dolly liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Dolly's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Dolly preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were knitting, crocheting and crafting. Dolly was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Dolly had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included camping with family on St. Joseph Island.

      Dolly had Boots, a black lab dog, who was her best friend for 10 years. Her family was rounded out by Toby. Dolly was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

      When Dolly's retirement finally arrived in 1976, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. In retirement, she found new pleasure in reading and camping. Even in retirement, Dolly continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

      Dolly passed away on April 28, 2013 at Sault Area Hospital, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario after a brave battle against Parkinson's Disease.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Dolly was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Dolly was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Dolly Stewart was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Dolly. She will be missed.

STEWART, Clara Margaret (Sarlo) – Passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, April 28, 2013 in her 77th year. Best friend, beloved and loving wife of 55 years to William Stewart. Cherished mother of Stacy (Sherry), Darcy (Tania), Roxanne and Jeffrey (Linda). Devoted grandmother of Christa (Steve), Johnna (Matt), Anne Marie (Bill), Anthony (Melissa), Brandon, Spencer, Morgan, Domminnic ,Maverick, Owen, Calvin, Avaanne, Sky-Lyn (James), Kim (Jim), Anthony, Mike (Tiffany), Melissa (Sean) and Brian (Lacey). Loving great grandmother of Nikki, Kesi, Lauren, Claire, Journey-Lyn, Lucas, Luc, Emma, Tate, Ryan, Aleya, Cooper and Liam. Daughter of the late Guiseppe and Assunta Sarlo. Sister of Don (Gayle) Sarlo, the late Ralph (Pat) Sarlo and the late Irene Sarlo. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Friday, May 3, 2013 from 1 – 3 pm. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. Special thank you to Dr. David Fera and the wonderful nursing staff for their compassionate care, to the Community Care Access Centre, the Red Cross and especially Susan Girardi who went above and beyond as her care giver. Special thanks also to the management and staff of Motion Specialties. Memorial contributions to the Red Cross and the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com

Forever & Ever Amen

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STEWART, Clara Margaret (Sarlo) – Passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, April 28, 2013 in her 77th year. Best friend, beloved and loving wife of 55 years to William Stewart. Cherished mother of Stacy (Sherry), Darcy (Tania), Roxanne and Jeffrey (Linda). Devoted grandmother of Christa (Steve), Johnna (Matt), Anne Marie (Bill), Anthony (Melissa), Brandon, Spencer, Morgan, Domminnic ,Maverick, Owen, Calvin, Avaanne, Sky-Lyn (James), Kim (Jim), Anthony, Mike (Tiffany), Melissa (Sean) and Brian (Lacey). Loving great grandmother of Nikki, Kesi, Lauren, Claire, Journey-Lyn, Lucas, Luc, Emma, Tate, Ryan, Aleya, Cooper and Liam. Daughter of the late Guiseppe and Assunta Sarlo. Sister of Don (Gayle) Sarlo, the late Ralph (Pat) Sarlo and the late Irene Sarlo. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Friday, May 3, 2013 from 1 – 3 pm. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. Special thank you to Dr. David Fera and the wonderful nursing staff for their compassionate care, to the Community Care Access Centre, the Red Cross and especially Susan Girardi who went above and beyond as her care giver. Special thanks also to the management and staff of Motion Specialties. Memorial contributions to the Red Cross and the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com

Forever & Ever Amen