Dorothy Rose Danard

August 2, 1927 – August 28, 2012

We would like to announce the passing of our Beloved Mum, Dorothy Rose Danard (nee McLennan) at the age of 85 years.

Dorothy will be lovingly remembered by her son Robert “Bob” and his son Shayne Midford as well as by her daughter Echo Vienna “Cookie” (Richard) Johnson and their children: Matthew Johnson (Erika) and her children: David and Jonathan; Andrea Walton (Kyle) and her children: Jordan and Anna; Sarah Anderson (Luke) and their children: Camden, Kienna and Lauren. Dorothy will also be remembered by numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and dear friends

Dorothy was predeceased by her husband of 41 years, David Alexander “Alec”. As the 8th oldest of 20 children, Dorothy was also predeceased by 7 brothers: Lloyd, George, Robert, Bill, Harry, Wayne and Melvin as well as by 3 sisters: Rosella “Ella”, Doreen and Jean.

Dorothy was born on a farm at Gainsborough, MB, and attended Overhill School to grade 8 with all of her siblings. At 17 years old she left home to find work at an airport military base in 1944. She then followed friends to Calgary, AB to find work, and worked in a cookie factory in the mornings and as a seamstress in a slack factory in the afternoons. During this time she stayed in a small hotel, and one morning had breakfast with a handsome soldier (Alec) waiting for discharge. This took place in the fall of 1945, and in the spring of 1946 they were married. In December of 1946 their first born son arrived. They returned to Edmonton, AB where Alec worked as a cattle buyer while Dorothy was a stay-at-home mum. Dorothy had a natural talent for sewing, knitting, oil painting and other handy works that became a constant side business of personal sewing and special alterations. When Dorothy and Alec began to travel, they ended up moving 36 times during their lives together. Mum stated that she had to count 3 times to make sure she had the total number of moves correct.

They began to travel westward to Peace River Country then onto Fort Nelson, BC. In Fort Nelson daughter Echo Vienna “Cookie” was born in 1957. While in Fort Nelson, Dorothy worked for the Hudson Bay Company performing numerous roles including rating fur pelts brought in from local trappers. During that time, Anchorage, AK experienced a large earthquake and the community of Fort Nelson supported the earthquake by sending food and clothing to the stricken area. In the summer of 1964, the family moved east to Kinuso, AB. Alec created his own company: Danard Oil Field Services Ltd. The family then moved to Slave Lake, AB with the company, and from there moved to Edmonton, AB in the summer of 1966. In Edmonton Dorothy and Alec opened a secondhand store off of 97th Street and 103rd Avenue. Dorothy was very creative with redoing furniture and working with people’s needs. Dorothy went on from there to become a post mistress and operated the Town Smoke Shop just off of 111th Avenue and 98th Street. Dorothy continued after the Smoke Shop to work at the downtown Eaton’s Department Store for some time. She then became a post mistress at Chorny’s Drugstore on the south side for 9 years. After the drugstore, Dorothy went to work at the Hotel McDonald as a switchboard operator and then as a seamstress in housekeeping. During this time Dorothy was diagnosed with Uterine Cancer. Dorothy kept working during treatment but once again changed jobs to work at Crown Caterer’s at the same time as Alec who was driving the catering truck. Dorothy became a cancer survivor, and retired when the company closed. Dorothy stayed home then to enjoy her flower gardens and was known as Mrs. Bloom.

Dorothy was known as not only a hardworking person, but also as a loyal friend all her life. Dorothy had many sayings that she lived by such as “don’t judge people unless you’ve walked in their shoes”, “hard work doesn’t hurt anyone. It makes them appreciate what you’ve worked for more”, “when you start something, finish it” and “unless it came out of the horse’s mouth, don’t repeat it”.

Our mum was a very kind, thoughtful, loving mum; always supportive, giving of her heart and soul, and she helped us grow into people who could become our own person instilled with her hardworking values, integrity and creativity.

A Memorial Service will be held for Dorothy on Wednesday, September 5 at 1:00 p.m. at the Darwell Golden Age Club in Darwell, AB.