Dorothy "Dot" & Robert "Bob" Kerr

Dorothy passed away peacefully in Winnipeg on Saturday May 11 2013. She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Christina Gonsalves (Tyrone), John Kerr, Georgia Kerr (Duane Cheskey) and by her grandchildren: Bob Gonsalves (Megan) and Jason Gonsalves (Robyn). Dot was a great-grandmother to Braeden, Evan, Tanner, Carter ( of Bob and Megan), Ashlyn and Caleb ( of Jason and Robyn). She was predeceased by her husband Robert (Bob) Kerr, parents William and Olive Snider (Hicks) and by her brothers Bill, Vic, George and Phil.

Dot was born in Nepean, Ontario on January 14, 1928, the youngest with 4 older brothers. She was an active, athletic and tomboyish little girl who liked to climb trees, go fishing with her brothers, swim in the river and was an expert skier, both downhill and cross-country from a very young age.

Dot trained as a Registered Nurse and began her healthcare career at Ottawa Civic Hospital in 1949. It was at a summer camp on Red Lake, Ontario, in 1951 that she first met Bob, her future husband, friend and soul mate. It was love at first sight and they married on August 25, 1951 in Hamilton.

Bob’s engineering career led to a number of moves across Canada, from Hamilton to Edmonton, to Toronto and west once more to Calgary. Dot and Bob had three children: Christina, John and Georgia, while living in Edmonton in the 1950’s. Dot made a seamless transition from caring nurse to devoted and caring mother to her three children. She passed on to her children a love of literature, art and creative expression. Dot expressed her creativity in knitting, sewing, painting and sketching. Her wide range of reading promoted independent thought and she encouraged a similar independence in her children.

Once her children had found their feet, Dot and Bob added adventure and activity to their life together through travel. Their shared adventures began with a walking tour of Wales, Scotland and England, followed by a cross-country skiing tour of Norway. They were among the founding members of the “Norseman Ski Club” in Calgary and found some of their most treasured friendships through the backcountry exploits of its outdoor-loving membership. Two favorite destinations were Mt. Assiniboine Lodge, run by Sepp and Barb Renner, and Durrand Glacier Chalet, run by Ruedi and Nicoline Beglinger.

Dot’s travels with Bob led to destinations as diverse as the Queen Charlotte Islands in BC, the Tatshenshini River and the Nahani River in Canada’s North, the Grand Canyon, the Loire Valley in France, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya, and the Himalaya Mountains in Nepal. They were active travelers, seeing the sights as kayakers, cyclists, skiers and trekkers. Her last international adventure with Bob was spent sea kayaking and island tenting in the Caribbean when she was 71.

In 2003, Dot and Bob said farewell to their many friends and beloved mountains to move to Winnipeg and be closer to family. When Bob passed away in April 2007, Dot confided that a part of her had died, too. Her health began gradually and steadily to decline shortly afterwards. Her vibrant, lively sense of humor and generous, caring nature remained with her until her decease.

The family would like to extend our deep appreciation and gratitude to all of the staff at Pembina Place Personal Care Home where mom received expert care in a warm, considerate, comfortable and loving environment during her final four years. We would also like to express a very special heartfelt thank you to Judy, Mariel and Elvera for the friendship, support and loving care that meant so much to Mom and all the family.

A donation can be made in Dot’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada: 20 Eglinton Ave. W., Ste. 1600, Toronto, ON M4R 1K8 or The Canadian Wildlife Federation: 350 Michal Cowpland Dr Kanata ON. K2M 2W1