Sunday 26 July 2015

Remembering Dororthy

They say a village raises a child.  If this is so, then Dorothy was certainly part of my tribe.  She passed away unexpectedly on July 20, leaving her family and friends far before we were ready.
familyimpact.org
Dorothy was one of my Mom's best friends.  I grew up sharing meals, playing games and going to church with Dorothy and her family.  As a child, she was part of the "Mom Pack".  My mom's friends would get together for coffee and sanity while we kids played make believe, put on skits, traipsed through the forest and got skinned knees.  On one of these adventures, my sister fell out of a tree.  Dorothy was the one who taught me not to let a person with a head injury go to sleep.

As I grew older, Dorothy's daughter and I would occasionally pause in our preteen and teenaged-angst to have a snack and chat with Dorothy.  I remember writing down a particularly important thing she said to me - that it is okay to question God as long as you keep looking for the answer.
madisoncc.org
Dorothy exuded incredible love for people.  Her face lit up when friends and family came to visit.  I was always grateful for the box of toys she had on hand whenever we visited with our babies and toddlers.  She seemed to thrive on the ribbing she received from her husband and their four children.  When you were in their home, you became family too.

Another vivid memory I have of Dorothy is one I share with those who ask what I think of being a pastor's wife.  I was worried about this myself before I married Phil.  When Dorothy found out about my fear of the position she said "Oh Sam, it's just like being a lawyer's wife or an electrician's wife.  When someone calls, just be polite and take a message."  Excellent advice!

Thank you Dorothy for loving me and my family.  Thanks for all the advice, recipes and laughter-filled memories.  We miss you.
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1 comment:

  1. Thanks for writing the lovely article about Dorothy. She was wise--we'll all miss her and the Banff Park church won't be the same without her either.

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