DOROTHY IRENE TURNER (TOMASSON)

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DOROTHY IRENE TURNER (TOMASSON) On Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at the Selkirk General Hospital with her family by her side. Dorothy is survived and will be greatly missed by her children and their families Chris (Ardith), Cliff (Marleen), Darlene (Ron), Deanna (Ted), stepchildren Deena, and Lorne (Angie); grandchildren Keith (Tracey), Char (Paul), Rick (Shirley), Mike (Jackie), Cheryl (Benson), Jan (Brian), Terry (Mike), Brenda, Marnie (Nelson), Kelly (Cam) as well as 25 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter and many nieces, nephews and friends. Our Mother, Dorothy, was born on December 5, 1922, in Winnipeg, to Sydney and Martha Clifford. Two years later the family relocated to Manigotogan where her father was involved in mining activity. Being an only child, Mom developed a close, loving attachment with her mother whom she revered throughout her lifetime. From her mother she learned the importance of hard work and resourcefulness. These were amongst the values that she would impart to her own children later in life. With limited educational opportunities the family moved to Hecla Island in 1931. There Mom spent her formative years with the exception of one year spent with her favourite Aunt Rose in Saskatoon where she pursued her Grade 9 studies. On September 30, 1939, after returning to Hecla, Mom married our father, Helgi K. Tomasson, a fisherman and general merchant in the area. Very shortly after the wedding, Mom and Dad left for the fall fishing season to an island camp in the northern basin of Lake Winnipeg. Although Mom was a couple of months short of her seventeenth birthday, her task was to cook and keep house for her new husband plus another six hired hands. We can only marvel today at her competence at such an early age. Mom and Dad would spend the next several years living in Hecla where they raised their family of four children and played an active role in the closely-knit Icelandic community. In 1957 the family moved to Winnipeg where Dad worked for the government and Mom would work at a number of different jobs until finally working for the Manitoba Medical Association from which she eventually retired. With Dad's sudden passing in 1971, Mom was left a youthful widow of 48. After several years on her own she met and in 1978 married a cherished soulmate, Joe Turner. Together they shared many happy years in Winnipeg and later in Kelowna - a place she dearly loved. During their marriage they enjoyed winters with friends in Arizona and travels to many parts of the world. Mom's recollection of these various trips and events was remarkable, remembering what highways had been traveled and what sights had been seen. With Joe's passing in 1998 she returned to Manitoba choosing Selkirk for her new home favouring its size and nearness to family and friends. In subsequent years she made many new friends there and became engaged in numerous community and church activities. Mom was always youthful for her years with a quick, perceptive mind. She was eminently capable of meeting life's daily challenges and kept abreast of local, national and world events from TV and the daily newspaper. She favoured the weather channel since it did not interfere with her many knitting projects and at the same time kept her informed about weather and road conditions for most known areas in the world. Mom was more than comfortable and capable in her kitchen. In her earlier years she would prepare and serve a huge family dinner with seemingly little effort. Even in later years if she was aware that you might be dropping in for a brief visit you could expect that she would have made your favourite for you to enjoy. She loved to cook and bake for us and we in return loved her the more for it. Although we are now deeply saddened by her somewhat sudden passing we find solace in the fact that her pain and suffering are now over and were not more protracted. We are eternally grateful for the care and compassion that she received from Dr. Zoppa and the staff at the Selkirk General Hospital. We also thank her many friends for their expressed concerns and sympathies during her hospitalization. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 4 at 11:00 a.m. in the Selkirk Evangelical Lutheran Church with Pastor Stan Richards officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy's memory may be made to the Selkirk Evangelical Lutheran Church, Box 65, Selkirk, MB R1A 2B1 or to the Selkirk and District General Hospital, Box 5000, Selkirk, MB R1A 2M2. Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements. www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 30, 2011