Dorothy Annie Erickson

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dorothy Erickson Stakiw on August 10th, 2013, with her family at her side. She passed at Royal University Hospital at the age of 92.

Dorothy was born on January 16, 1921, in Spruce Lake, Sask. the youngest of 5 children. After graduating from high school she attended Teachers College in Saskatoon. Dorothy's first teaching job was in Wartime, Sask. and she later worked as a Teacher's Aid in Elrose, Sask.

While teaching in Wartime, she met Frank Erickson. They married in 1947 and started their family in Wartime until 1976, when they moved to Elrose, Sask. Frank passed away in 1990. In 1995 Dorothy then married Joe Stakiw and moved to Maidstone, Sask. They lived there until 2008 when they relocated to Parkville Manor in Saskatoon. They enjoyed many happy years travelling together until his passing in 2012. Dorothy was very fortunate to have loved these two wonderful men in her life. Dorothy’s last years were spent at Warm & Cozy Care Home in Saskatoon.

Dorothy was very active in the community with, the United Church Choir, UCW, Maidstone & District Museum, as well as working on the family farm. She loved family gatherings, golfing, bowling, dancing, crafting, travelling and baking. No one ever left her house hungry!

Dorothy is survived by two sons; Elden (Hilda), grandchildren; Megan and Ashley; Aaron (Judy); two step-daughters; Jolyne (Howard) Ball, grandchildren; Deanna (Jonathan), Gina (Jim), Janel; Susan (Paul) Teplitsky, grandchildren; Ryan (Christine), Liane (Ed), Tyson (Jacquelyn) and 5 great grandchildren, as well as a sister in law Margaret Reeve.

Dorothy is predeceased by her 2 husbands; brother George; and sisters Maudie (Boyd), Gladys (Carl) and Ethel (Clarence).In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan ( #1 - 345 Third Avenue S Saskatoon SK S7K 1M6).

The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Warm and Cozy Care Home for their loving care, friendships and great meals, as well as the staff at RUH Emergency and Ward 6200 for their compassion in Dorothy’s final days.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan ( #1 - 345 Third Avenue S Saskatoon SK S7K 1M6).

Dorothy Stories (by Hilda Erickson) August 16, 2013

As soon as Elden and I were engaged, I started getting Christmas presents and cards from someone called 2nd Mom. The first time it happened, I guess I was a little slow – Elden had to tell me that 2nd Mom was Dorothy (he had the advantage, though – he could recognize her handwriting). Year after year, everything was signed 2nd Mom. But she wasn’t 2nd Mom to me – she was - Mom.

As I got to know Mom, I realized that she had a few quirky habits. For instance, how she stored her leftovers in the fridge. Instead of Tupperware, she would spoon the food into a water glass, and put a saucer on top so it wouldn’t dry out. If there was just a small amount of leftovers, a coffee mug would do, with the requisite saucer, of course.

And then there was being with her in the car. She was a big seat belt rebel. When someone’s seat belt needed adjusting (this was back in the day when you had to cinch or loosen your seatbelt to fit), she was always quick to say that you should just “hold it” in place so the police would think you’re actually wearing it.

And then we come to the driving part, with Mom straining to see over the steering wheel – there’s a joke going around about Auntie Maudie having to look “through” the steering wheel. Mom used a cushion. But that still didn’t help her enough to see over the hood. Making those left-hand turns on a double-divided road – she could NOT see those dotted white lines marking the lanes. She’d start in the left lane and end up in the right lane, with no idea of what she’d just done – and no one blared their horn at her – they probably just saw the top of that curly white head and decided not to scare her into doing something rash. Like change lanes again.

One of the things that Elden wouldn’t tolerate from his mom was that she always wanted to pick up the check when we were at a restaurant. So he started trying to grab it first, but of course Mom was having none of that. It eventually got to the point that whoever grabbed the check first had to hold it tightly in their hand, or the other would steal it right from under them when they weren’t looking. Well, it was a couple of years after Dad died when we were all on a little road trip, and stopped for lunch. Elden stole the check from Mom, causing quite a kafuffle between the two of them. Mom lost her balance trying to get it back. It all ended up with Elden, Mom, and HER CHAIR all lying flat on the floor, the two of them shrieking with laughter. It was like watching a couple of 6-year olds. I thought the management was going to come and kick us out, and NO ONE was going to get to pay – but the end of the story is – that Elden paid the check that time.

I am told that we only know the tamed down version of Dorothy, because in her younger years, Mom was “involved” in quite a few pranks. There’s one story about a new bride finding that the bottom hem of her nightgown was sewn together. And another bride and groom finding cacti in their bed. That would be Bob and Joyce over there. I would have liked to have known that younger Dorothy in those days – but maybe not at any time around my wedding….

Mom loved good food. When she wasn’t worried about making sure everyone else was getting enough to eat, she could actually put away a fair bit of chow. And prime rib with horseradish was one of her favourites. It was on one occasion, when Mom and Dad were visiting us in Kelowna, and we went for dinner at the Four Seasons. They had a good German chef there, who sliced her up a big piece of prime rib. She sat down and prepared her first bite. Prime rib with a healthy smear of horseradish. You know where this is going. Elden watched the bright red start at her neck and rush all the way up her face. Her glasses came off, tears were gushing, and she was gulping all the water she could get her hands on. Apparently, Mom didn’t know that German horseradish has quite a bit more kick than the stuff she was used to.

Some time in Mom’s 60’s, she started watching General Hospital on TV. She called it her “play”. Megan tells me that when she and Ashley would spend a few days every Easter with Mom & Joe, Grandma would take them to the park or somewhere in the afternoon, but not until AFTER her “play”. Well, it wouldn’t be 10 minutes into the show, that Grandma would be sleeping in her chair. And she would continue to sleep until well after her play was finished. Now I know why she liked watching a soap opera so much – she could watch an hour-long show every day for just 10 minutes and still keep up!

Mom liked to do a tiny bit of gambling. But - she was lucky. I think we’d all like to do a tiny bit of gambling if we were as lucky as she was. When she and Joe went to the casino, she ALWAYS came out ahead. And her luck didn’t just pertain to the slots. We had her and Joe out at the lake a couple of years ago. And I pulled out a bunch of board games that a bunch of us played at the picnic table. We had Grandma playing ALL afternoon. At the age of 90, she could barely move the pieces, but of the half dozen games that we played – she won every single one of them!

She was lucky in love, too. With two wonderful husbands, and two fabulous sons who looked after her so well when she needed it, she sure was doing some thing right. Part of what she did right was always wanting to do for other people, whether it was trying to overfeed everyone at the table, or trying to carry Megan’s heavy soccer bag for her when she could barely manage her own heavy purse. We miss her and will remember her forever. But I know that she’s very busy now, up in heaven – she’s making sure that everyone up there is getting seconds on dessert.

Aunt Dorothy - by Ken Imhoff August 16, 2013

The way Aunt Dorothy was can be blamed on her parents .

To reminisce about Dorothy starts with her parents (Walter and Florence Reeve). Dorothy's parents were very proud of their children. My mother Gladys spoke highly of her father and mother - when Walter faced the comments from others "don't you wish you had more boys rather than four girls", Walter would reply: " no, I would never wish that, I am proud of my girls."

So there is the root of who Dorothy was. Her parents instilled in her and her siblings: Maude, Gladys, Ethel, and George a sense of confidence, fairness, humour, and caring.

Sharon Lorenze, Dorothy's great niece spoke of how the Reeve girls were modern beyond their time. Aunt Dorothy was certainly that.

Aunt Dorothy enjoyed life, good times, humour and pranks. But never at the expense of one's personal dignity. The pranking I suspect came from her older sisters, especially Ethel, but you can be assured that Dorothy was fully engaged.

My sister Joyce spoke of the time that she and Bob as newlyweds visited Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Frank. To discover a cactus in their bed. (I wonder, was it a prickly pear?)

But there are long memories - so when Aunt Dorothy and Joe were dating - the trap was set. as Dorothy and Joe crept into the LaForce house at 1:00 in the morning they were greeted with a loud clanging and flash of light. Deer caught in the head lights comes to mind. Yes the door had been gerry rigged with a bell and of course a photo as evidence and many family members that stayed up to witness the event. In the spirit of good humour Dorothy and Joe enjoyed the prank as much as the family that greeted them.

And of course there was the dance on the Alaska Highway in the Yukon. An impromptu event - it just seemed the right thing to do when Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Frank along with Joyce and Bob and other family members traveled to the Yukon to attend the wedding of Dorothy's great niece Beverly Baxter. And every night eight handed cribbage, however that worked?

It was excitement, good times and laughter when Dorothy and Frank visited relatives in the St. Walburg, Spruce Lake and Lashburn area, and it held true when Dorothy and Joe visited relatives.

Aunt Dorothy is the last of the five Reeve children, Aunt Maudie, Aunt Ethel, Uncle George and my mother Gladys.

It certainly is her parent's fault that aunt Dorothy Ericson / Stakiw was who she was and that is a good thing.

And her legacy will live on in her children and grand children; you are who you, industrious, fair minded, good humoured and caring . It is Dorothy's fault and that is also a good thing.

The Fallen Limb

A limb has fallen from the family tree.

I keep hearing a voice that says, "Grieve not for me.

Remember the best times, the laughter, the song.

The good life I lived while I was strong.

Continue my heritage, I'm counting on you.

Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through.

My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest.

Remembering all, how I truly was blessed.

Continue traditions, no matter how small.

Go on with your life, don't worry about falls

I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.

Until the day comes we're together again.

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want;

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures

He leadeth me beside still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the

paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, I will fear no evil:

For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff

they comfort me;

Thou preparest a table before me in the

presence of mine enemies:

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the

days of my life, and I will dwell in the house

of the Lord forever.

These favorite tunes of Dorothy's were played during the Funeral Service:

What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong,

Unforgettable - Nat King Cole,

You Raise Me Up - Westlife,

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler,

Five Foot Two - Guy Lombardo & Kenny Gardner,

Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Anne & Gilbert,

Side By Side - Kate Smith,

See You Again - Carrie Underwood,

Joyful, Joyful - Voices United Songbook,

Precious Lord Take My Hand - Voices United Songbook,,

Smiles,

Love Me Tender,

Beer Barrel Polka,

Shine On Harvest Moon,

Mockingbird Hill,

In The Good Old Summertime,

Cruising Down The River,

Now Is The Hour