Frances Doris (Cullin) Dale

Born in Yakima, Washington, USA. Moved to Victoria BC at 6 months of age with parents Fred and Abbie Cullin, and brother Austin. A dedicated and loyal Canadian citizen for life, Frances loved Victoria and Vancouver Island where so many wonderful memories were created. She married the love of her life Victor James Dale and they had four (4) children; Richard (d. 2009), Ross, Bev (Lloyd - d. 2002) and Paul (Kathy). Over the years the family grew to include eight (8) grandchildren; Michael, Lindsey (Justin), Chelsea (Sean), Peter (Janele), Mark, Jordan, Matthew, Andrea and nine (9) great grandchildren; Scarlett, Penelope, Lucy, Calla, Harlow, Pearl, Eve, Olivia, and Eliza whom she all loved very, very much. She was also blessed with beloved nephew and nieces; Mike Cullin, Sharon Cullin and Denise (Rick) Hunter and families.

Fran had a long and fulfilling life, living to the wonderful age of 102! With a strong Irish background, she always tackled life head on with a positive outlook and her family and friends were everything to her. She always said ‘yes’ to every invitation and loved being involved in all of the kids’ activities. She will be dearly missed and never forgotten. Forever in our hearts!

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A. Milne

As Harlow says, "our hearts are cracked". At 102 years and 308 days young, Frances Dale (Mum, Ma, G-Ma, G.G.) "slipped the surly bonds of earth" and took off for her next adventure, undoubtedly reunited with her great love, Vic; their son, Richard; and all her beloved dogs. G-Ma leaves behind an incredibly close family that she nourished with love and laughter; including her three babies, eight grand babies, and nine great grand babies. Though she loved her nine great granddaughters fiercely, she always hoped for a great grandson (sorry about your luck, G-Ma). She also leaves behind cherished nieces, nephews, and friends.

An avid lover of fine arts, G-Ma was a talented artist of several mediums, including (but not limited to) fibre arts––weaving, spinning, knitting, felting; ceramics; and water colour paintings. G-Ma LOVED dogs of all breeds and sizes, and she never

failed to stop a person in the street to greet their dog with warmth and a pocket full of treats. G-Ma was a lover of horses, and enjoyed riding in her youth. She and Grandpa Vic kept chickens at their home in Gordon Head when their family was young; her breed of choice was the Cochin. Ice cream and chocolate almonds sparked joy in her life.

An avid globetrotter, G-Ma travelled extensively––from Europe to New Zealand; Australia to SE Asia; Mexico to Newfoundland, and many cities, states and provinces in between. Vienna, Hong Kong, Seattle, Singapore, and Disneyland held a very special place in her heart. At 83 years young G-Ma hit the road with Paul, Bev, and a bunch of grand kids and set out on her final trip of many to Disneyland, where she rode all the coasters like a champ. She looked forward to her daily ice cream cones at the Emporium on Mainstreet. In 2014 at the age of 93 she made her final trip to visit extended family in Bonne Bay, Newfoundland, where she rode on the back of a motorcycle, drove a side-by-side and danced with the Mummers into the wee hours. In addition to travelling to far-off destinations, G-Ma relished a good road trip to try her luck in Reno, and to visit family in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Washington, California, and the Okanagan. G-Ma was a constant presence in the lives of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, celebrating and witnessing life's milestones. From rowing regattas and skating competitions, soccer matches, hockey games, and swim meets––to high school, university and graduate school convocations––she made every effort to show up for her family. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, G-Ma always maintained her incredible zest for life. She was up for absolutely anything! Her smile and laughter was infectious, she ALWAYS had a positive attitude, and never missed an opportunity to give her family a hard time (in good fun).

Known to her nine great-grand daughters as “G.G.”, she enjoyed baby showers, and birthdays, Christmas and other special events with all her girls. Her impact was far-reaching––she touched the lives of many friends and acquaintances, and was an ‘adopted’ G-Ma to many. She was (and remains) our matriarch, in the truest sense of the word. Her greatest gift to us are the tight-knit family relationships she cultivated. The girls and I last saw GG at Easter, and her last words to us were "I love you all"––we carry G-Ma and her love in our hearts now and always.

Written by Chelsea Brenton, grand daughter