DOROTHY (JOHNSON) COONEY

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DOROTHY (JOHNSON) COONEY The life of Dorothy Sigrun (Johnson) Cooney, aged 77, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 in Brandon, MB, will be celebrated at two separate memorial activities in Brandon, MB on Wednesday, August 13 and Baldur, MB on Thursday, August 14. She is survived by her son Robert (Bob); daughter Allison; son-in-law Rob Smith; beloved grandchildren, Erin and Brian Smith; sisters, Flora Mitchell, Evelyn Hallgrimson and her husband Albert, numerous nieces and nephews and their families. She was predeceased by Bob (RJ), her husband of more than 50 years, in October, 2006. Dorothy was born a second-generation Icelandic-Canadian on the family farm north of Baldur, MB on February 11, 1930, the youngest daughter of Jon M. and Ena Johnson. She began her employment career as a telephone operator in Baldur, MB in the early 1950s, working her way up to be chief operator and, in the process, meeting and marrying her best friend and life-long companion, Robert J. (Bob) Cooney. Their genuine love for each other, their friendship, care and concern, their love for our family and acts of kindness to friends - and sometimes total strangers - should serve as an example to all of how to be gracious, decent and civil human beings. Mom was a very creative person. She painted, wrote poetry, built and restored furniture, gardened excessively, grew beautiful roses and was very handy when it came to any type of home renovation or construction project. Word on the street was that dad fixed the cars, mom could, in fact, fix pretty much everything else. She used to describe herself as a domestic engineer when people asked her what she did for a living. Her life and work centered on supporting us as we moved through life...in school, at work, with a new family, wherever we went, mom and dad were there. She excelled at being an Amma to Erin and Brian, and was a full participant in dad's retirement activities of flying and travelling around the province. After an unfortunate series of strokes, Dorothy became a resident of Hillcrest Place in Brandon more than four years ago. Bob visited nearly every day until he was unable to for his own health reasons, and briefly joined Dorothy at Hillcrest prior to his passing in 2006. The family wishes to extend its most sincere thanks to all staff at Hillcrest for their care of Dorothy and for their service to our family. As well, we are continually grateful for the love and support shown to our family by our many friends on Royal Bay in Brandon, and our extended group of friends and family in Brandon, Baldur, Glenboro, Glenora, Winnipeg, Winkler and Lethbridge, AB. A celebration of Dorothy's life will take place in Brandon on Wednesday, August 13 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 114 Ashgrove Blvd., Brandon MB, beginning at 2:00 p.m. A brief graveside service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 14 in Baldur, MB, with a reception to follow at the Baldur Memorial Hall. Flowers are graciously declined. Please support the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, the charitable activities of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Brandon, a charity of your choice in Dorothy's name, or perform a random act of kindness toward someone and think of her. Condolences may be sent by e-mail to robert.cooney@hotmail.com for forwarding to the family. Jamieson's Funeral Service, Glenboro, MB, are in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 09, 2008