Susan Dobie

Susan Dobie (nee McCusker) has passed away, peacefully and in her sleep, aged 94. She now joins her husband of 43 years, James Dobie, who passed away in 2002. Susan is survived by her children Chris, Jane, Pat and Mike (Trudi), her grandchildren AJ, Laurel, Anna, and Joseph, and many other relatives in Vancouver and the UK.

Susan lived a full and adventurous life. She grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, where her family experienced the hard times of Depression, sometimes relying on the neighbourhood moneylender’s loans to get by. Ironically, war brought a small modicum of prosperity, with her older sisters leaving school in the mid-teens as was common in those days, to join the workforce in the war industries and contribute to the household income.

She was the first in her family to attend university, crediting her eldest sister Sadie with spotting her academic talent and encouraging their parents to put her into a convent school for university preparation. She graduated with an MA in French from Glasgow University, attained a teaching diploma and taught in Glasgow for a few years. Her teacher friend Mary Dobie said Canada was recruiting teachers and off they went. They were greeted at the airport by Mary’s brother James, and though it took a couple of years, the rest is history.

Susan and James raised a family of four children (born within five years!) and were popular members of the Scottish expat community in Vancouver, participating in soccer (James), Scottish Country Dancing (both), cross-country skiing, bridge and many other activities. They had a wide circle of friends and loved to entertain.

Susan taught at elementary schools in Port Alberni and Vancouver, taking time off when the children were young. Re-entering the teaching force, she spent the balance of her career at John Henderson Elementary in East Vancouver. Later, when James had a contract in Indonesia, Susan taught at a school for international students in Jakarta.

It was a cruel blow when James passed away in 2002, but Susan bounced back. She continued her and James’s practice of long walks, took fitness classes and joined a five-pin bowling team at the Commodore Lanes. She broadened her language learning to include Spanish, retained her fluency in French and resumed international travel with gusto. Her last trip was as recent as September 2023, to Japan with son Chris.

Susan read widely, mostly modern novels, and continued the spiritual exploration that stemmed from her Catholic upbringing.

Chris, Jane, Pat and Mike extend their thanks to the caring staff at VGH where she was admitted for 10 days in early 2025, and the entire team at Dogwood Lodge Hospice at Cambie and 57th, who took such loving care of Susan in her final months.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Union Gospel Mission, where Susan sent an annual cheque to help fund Christmas dinner for those in need, or to the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, another cause dear to her heart.

A celebration of Susan's life will be held on September 20, 2025 from 2-4 pm at University Golf Club, 5185 University Boulevard, Vancouver. All are welcome to join us and share memories.