Thank you for coming together today to honour our memories of Doreen, our sister, mother, auntie, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.

Even in her last hours Doreen was clarifying her wishes.  She asked us not to make a "fuss" and so I'll do my best to share her story without too much "fussiness".

Some years ago grandma asked if I would give her eulogy.  "I wondered, "Grandma, why would you want me to do that"?  Her answer was something like, "you're good with words and you know me".  Whether that is true or not, her belief in her answer was convincing.  She practiced her belief in her family and her God, her belief was very much who she was.

It's been a struggle to organize the stories grandma made over 85 years.  Her memories and memories of her have never been shared in a straight line.  They were shared more like pockets, she would pull a memory from her pocket during a picnic, while watching TV, at the trailer or over a meal, the best stories were told over and over again.  I wondered if sharing her memories as if they were a book would bring it together.

So imagine grandma's life in a book with chapters, not in order, not complete and maybe not completely correct.  Just chapters.

Grandma was so proud, proud of her children, proud of her grandchildren and very proud of her great grandchildren.  She was proud of her sisters and brother, their children, the paths their lives have taken.  She was passionate about her family, she knew what was happening in their lives.  It was her life, this community of family.  If you were out with grandma she would introduce you to her friends and sometimes she was so proud you were not sure that it was you she was introducing.  But, pride can be like that, her family was enormously important to her.  We all made her proud, we were her peacocks.

Her passion was born out in her work for her family.  she was relentless, family dinners, picnics, trips, visits.  She was passionate about keeping her relationships with her family strong and growing.  Passionate people can be stubborn.  You cannot be passionate without a strong will.  You want that in your leader.  She was our leader, our matriarch, it gets you through some tough stuff.  It can be hard on you sometimes but it is a good thing.

That brings us to loyalty. Loyalty was an important value for grandma.  She may be one of the greatest defenders of loyalty.  If she was anything, she was loyal to her family.  Her family came first.  She sacrificed for her family.  And, in turn, took it as fact that it would be practiced by all.  Loyalty is a long term value, it can feel really uncomfortable in action but if used as a life value it contributes to one amazing character.  Her loyalty and its practice lives on in her family.

Grandma loved to visit and to be visited.  If you did not respect this ritual she would tell you.  Bully for her, she is one of the few women I know in her generation that practiced self care and a visit was one of her biggest self care activities.  The visit was an art for Doreen.  I believe as a child I visited more kitchens in this county than anyone here.  I remember fancy aprons, tiled kitchen walls, biscuits, hard chairs and dangling legs, this was the curriculum for "visit school".

Grandma was a teacher.  Even when grandma went to live at Fairhaven she maintained her elegant "Look for the Visit".  She was beautiful, her hair, her skin, her hands, even the hair on her chinny chin chin. Y E S.......

Grandma had beautiful hands.  I loved her nails.  Even when arthritis changed the shape, her hands were beautiful.  They were working hands however, they swept the floors of a Saskatchewan School House, changed many bottoms, tied shoes.  I loved the way grandma tied shoes, she would sit you on a chair and kneel down to tie, you could look at the top of her head, see her eyes behind her glasses and often see down her dress.  I said she was a teacher, grandchildren learn about women's bodies from grandmas who kneel to tie their grandchildren's shoes.  It's less direct than today but my grandmother adhered to politeness. This was a polite education.

Back to the hands, grandma was an artist, she created with yarn, beads, paint, fabric.  Everyone in this room likely was made a gift of one of her creations, afghans, table cloths, socks, mitts, beads, paint by number.  If her hands were not busy she liked to hold hands, it was a great way to show her affection.  Her hands to the end rested beautifully across her body.

Grandma was about food.  Beautiful comforting food.  I cannot decide if she loved butterscotch pie or if I did.  I know she made it.  I know I loved to eat it.  Raspberries were a favorite, except for the "pips".  Pips under the dentures was sacrifice for the taste of a favorite berry.  For years I dreamed of her divintiy fudge.  It was only available at Christmas if I remember correctly.  I did ask her a few years ago for the recipe.  She fessed up, or at least corrected my mistake, that divinity fudge was Auntie Evelyn's all along.  Thank you Auntie Evelyn for that great divinity fudge.

Grandma's last meal was a variation of her comfort food macaroni and stewed tomatoes.  I asked her, I think on the Friday, what she would like to eat.  Laura Secord Chocolates would just not do, she simply chose a tomato.  Aunt Shirley brought her a great tomato on rye.  It was a pleasure watching her eat it.

I had come across a quote to begin this chapter, it was spoken by another woman born in the same year as grandma.  I think it fits in here. "Life is to be lived to its fullest so that death is just another chapter in the memories of our lives.  Our works and our deeds will continue in others".

Grandma's life spanned so many changes, in her society, in her community, in her family, and especially in her.  We had the privilege of living through the changes with her.  The last few years were challenging, but, knowingly or not, she was a teacher for her family.  No one could ever provide the knowledge, wisdom and experience of what it means to be a woman who followed her path with graciousness, dignity, passion, pride and loyalty.  Her lessons are a gift to us all.  We thank her most humbly. And in closing,  I could only write one last chapter for today and it's title is....

Being with grandma at the end of her time was a very helpful experience.  She was surrounded by love.  Her window was open and there was a breeze.  I wish to take the liberty of imagining that her spirit, her soul, slipped out with the wind and she was quickly off to meet with her Lord but most importantly her one true love, Sawyer.  I should think they have spent the last few days catching up, perhaps grandma is combing grandpa's hair and admonishing him for a spill on his ice cream pants.  And, I can hear him clearly, "now, now Dearie".  That is our Doreen, OUR DEARIE!

Looking back and remembering as another Birthday goes by     November 3rd.    Mom loved to have a Birthday cake.