February 17, 1925 - March 22, 2019
Doreen of Abbotsford, B.C. died peacefully with her daughters Jan and Shelley by her side March 22, 2019 at Holmberg House at the age of 94.
Mum was predeceased by our Dad, Albert Canning in 2002 and her brother Vernon Ferris in 1998. Mum leaves behind her four daughters Jan (Dennis Nicoll and Greg Davies) Canning, Cathy (Eric) Woods, Shelley (Rene St-Martin) Canning and Nancy (Eric Marcoux) Canning. She leaves her grandchildren Sam (Birgit, Kay and Iwona) Nicoll, Allison (Nelson) Neves and Ben (Michelle) Nicoll; Genevieve, Elise and Isabelle St-Martin; and Ian and Mimi Marcoux; and great grandchildren Lucy, Peter, Natalie and Allan Nicoll; Abby and Marcus Neves; and Laura and Simon Nicoll. Mum also leaves behind her sisters-in-law Phyllis Canning and Jacquie Ferris, and many nieces, nephews and distant relatives and friends.
Mum was born February 17, 1925 in Cypress River, Manitoba and grew up surrounded by a large farming community of aunts, uncles and cousins. Soon after finishing high school the farm sold and Mum followed her parents west to pursue her girlhood dream of becoming a nurse graduating from VGH in 1949; a career she loved and retired from at the age of 65. Mum and Dad met and married in Mission in 1950, and as our family grew, we lived briefly in several BC communities. We eventually settled in Victoria which was home for over 35 years before Mum and Dad moved back to the Fraser Valley in 2002.
Mum had many talents and attributes for which she will be remembered. However, deserving special mention was her life long passion for knitting. In the last few years she knit many little newborn sweaters and caps for the ARH Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop and she will be missed at the weekly meeting of the Knitwits. Mum was also a firm believer in keeping physically active and she will be missed by her exercise groups at the rec centre. In our home family was everything; we always felt loved no matter what and Mum could always be counted on to help, guide and support us leading by example. Mum set the bar awfully high and she will be missed more than words can say by us all. We would like to share our deep appreciation for the care of Dr. Trent Loewen, the doctors and nurses on CCU, the Palliative Unit and Hospice. Thank you for the kindness, care, sensitivity and support shown to Mum and our family.