Doreen Mary Slater

Doreen was born May 9, 1943 to Sally and Fred Blackshaw in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

She was the youngest of 3 daughters, her older sisters being Vera and Margaret

Early childhood: Doreen’s early childhood was spent climbing trees or keeping the local boys in line. She made neighbourhood friends in the Worsley sisters, Lilian Burgess, and Mike Garner. Her friendship with Lena Worsley lasted throughout the years.

School: School wasn’t of particular interest or importance to Doreen, although academically she had enough smarts to win a scholarship to the Cheadle County Grammar School for Girls.

Here she got involved in athletics and excelled in several fields (hence the picture of her clearing a hurdle). Here too she met new friends, Mavis Holmes and Audrey Moult. Sadly Audrey predeceased her, but for her remaining years she continued to exchange greeting cards with Mavis.

On leaving school in 1959 she accepted an office position with Renold Chains, located about 8 miles from her home, and until the mid stages of her first pregnancy, she cycled to and from work every day.

On June 6, 1964, shortly after her 21st birthday, she and Ian (who she’d been courting for about four years) got married at the Wilmslow Parish Church. They honeymooned in North Wales then returned to work.

Family: In February of 1966, Doreen and Ian welcomed their first beautiful baby daughter, Deborah Anne, into the family and almost two years later, another beautiful daughter, Jacqueline Mary. Doreen became a full-time mother to both daughters as it was a full-time job - no disposable nappies - wash and wear was the rule back then. When the girls went to school, Doreen found a part-time job for a while, but it was more important to her to be available for her girls.

Emigration: In 1974, the family uprooted and moved across the pond to Canada, settling in Ajax, Ontario, where a process of rebuilding a new life began. Doreen got an evening job at Chrysler Ajax in the canteen and Ian became responsible for the kids for that period. In 1976, she and Ian purchased their first home and set about blending into a new neighbourhood. Here Doreen met Mary Jane White, a provincial civil servant, who very kindly helped Doreen obtain a position in a downtown Toronto government office. From this start, Doreen eventually accepted a position with the Ontario Ministry of Finance, eventually moving to their new premises closer to home in Oshawa. Here she worked until mid 2000 when she became eligible to retire and did so.

Retirement: This was a whole new ballgame to Doreen and in late 2000 she and Ian purchased their dream home in Oshawa, Ontario - dream home that is because for the next 18 years, Doreen threw herself into her love of gardening. In the previously unworked huge back garden, she dug and stocked a pond and waterfall, created a huge vegetable garden and several other side gardens which were stocked with a variety of perennials and annual flowers. Each autumn, on harvesting her crops, she would be busy in the kitchen bottling and otherwise preserving that which she grew. All her crops were gladly shared with neighbours and friends.

Unfortunately it became obvious during 2018 and early 2019 that her physical health was fast waning - rheumatoid arthritis took a hold and she and Ian were forced to give up the house and garden they loved.

In December of 2019, they moved into their retirement apartment and prepared to enjoy their later years. Unfortunately, their enjoyment would be short lived for Doreen was diagnosed with a debilitating lung disease and, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic, she quickly became housebound with deteriorating health. She found great comfort at this time in her love of electronic games and socializing through Facebook, which fortunately carried her through the remaining years of her illness. After much suffering and extreme pain, we, as a family, said goodbye to our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother on April 22, 2023.

She was a remarkable woman who was loved and will be lovingly remembered by many.

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SLATER, Doreen Mary (née Blackshaw)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Doreen, in the early morning of April 22, at the age of 29 years, 18,610 days. Doreen will be greatly missed by her husband of nearly 59 years, Ian, her daughters Deborah Towns (Darrin) and Jacquie Slater (Mike), and her grandchildren Amanda Ingram (Jon), William Shirk (Amanda), Samantha Shirk, and Grace Towns, and her great grandchildren Rebekka, Abigail, and baby on the way. We are all comforted by the knowledge that she is no longer suffering. We are assured she will find a bench on the other side and await her beloved husband there in great comfort and peace. The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at Lakeridge Health for her phenomenal care and all the warmed blankets a girl could wish for. She will be missed, along with the twinkle in her eyes and her contagious smile, she will be remembered, she is incredibly loved.

Visitation will be held at the OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Monday, May 1st, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. until time of Memorial Service in the Chapel at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Arthritis Society or Durham Deaf Services. Online condolences may be made at www.oshawafuneralhome.com