DOROTHY ELIZABETH WAGAR

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DOROTHY ELIZABETH WAGAR Dorothy Elizabeth Wagar (nee Enns) passed away Tuesday, February 8, 2011, dying as she lived, in the loving embrace of family and friends. She leaves to cherish her memory, her devoted children Arlene Keller (Bryan), David Wagar (Paula Tassie), Sheila Wagar (Richard Brusegard) and Bill Wagar, daughter-in-law Karen McLeod; grandchildren Scott (Trish), Jennifer, Rebecca, Mark, Kate, Neal, Tyler and Alie; great-grandchildren Brendan, Quinn, Julia, Ashley and Tristan; her sisters (and best friends) Pat Doerksen (Bill) and Laura Dagg, and many nieces and nephews. Dorothy was predeceased by her parents John and Anne Enns; her siblings Gertrude, Ted and Bob Enns, and by her husband Earl (in 1989). Born in Winkler in 1917, Dode was the second of six children. She was a devoted daughter and her siblings were her dearest friends, sharing her quick wit, her formidable intellect and her love of crokinole and crosswords. Dode was always spiritual. She was raised in the Mennonite faith, but when she moved to Winnipeg she joined Elim Chapel. There she met Earl, and they were married on New Year's Day, January 1946. Eventually, Dorothy worshipped at Beautiful Saviour Lutheran Church. However, she did not require organized religion to celebrate God - she exulted in the glories of the natural world, the birds, the prairie skies, the sunsets and the stars, and she passed on her abiding love of these things to her children and grandchildren. Dode loved literature and read voraciously; ultimately, this led to careers as a writer for the St. Vital Lance and later, as a school librarian. Music was another of Dorothy's passions. She studied piano for a year at Tabor College in Kansas after graduating from high school. She played the piano all her life, and sang in and directed various choirs. Her greatest pleasure in music was making it with her family - harmonizing in impromptu sing-a-longs, playing piano duets - and in seeing her children and grandchildren indulging in this same passion for music. The most constant joy in Dorothy's life was her family. She adored her children and grandchildren - she typed essays late into the night when her children were in university, got down on the floor to make puzzles with her grandchildren, hosted the most memorable sleepovers ever and, in her 60 plus years as a parent and grandparent, attended countless sporting events, recitals, concerts, grads and weddings. But her fondest family times were undoubted the ritual Sunday dinners - at her homes and at ours. Dode's sense of humour and sense of adventure were legendary. She never took herself too seriously, which allowed her to engage in some truly unconventional endeavours. She didn't worry about looking foolish - and so it was that her 8th decade held many firsts: tubing at Sherwood Lake, going down the Deswood pool slide and, on her last cruise, going snorkelling instead of joining the excursion on a glass-bottomed boat. Dorothy had remarkable grace. She met the many challenges life presented her, including the indignities of aging, with unfailing dignity, humour, and resilience - and ultimately her beautiful smile. As she grew smaller in stature, Dode surely grew larger in spirit. There really was no stopping Dode. Even now, she lives on in the hearts and passions of her children and grandchildren, who will cherish her memory and live her dreams. Our warmest thanks to the staff at River Park Gardens, who took such loving care of our sister, mother and grandmother the last several years, and enlivened our own visits there. Thanks also to Pastor Cam Schnarr of Beautiful Saviour Lutheran Church for visiting with Dorothy. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 12, 2011 at Glen Lawn Funeral Home, 455 Lagimodiere Blvd. A private family interment has taken place. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.glenlawn.ca Glen Lawn Funeral Home 982-7550 glenlawn.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 11, 2011