July 11, 1941 - May 28, 2020
Dolores passed away quickly and peacefully on May 25. She was 78. Dolores was born in Vancouver on July 11, 1941 and lived her early years there. She was a caring person and decided to study to become a nurse. Dolores moved to Los Angeles as an adventure, and it was there that she met, John Woodie.
John was a patient of hers. John was in the United States Coast Guard and suffered an injury which landed him in Dolores' hospital ward. John lost his leg as a result of the accident, and Dolores nursed him through that difficult time. They fell in love. John and Dolores married in Pasadena in 1965. Together, they worked to put John through university, and he became an aerospace engineer and scientist.
This was an exciting time in the aerospace industry, and a fun time to be living and working in Southern California. They enjoyed many happy years in California. Their daughter, Veronica, came into their life in 1971. Before the happy arrival of Veronica, Dolores had suffered the tragedy of losing twins who were born prematurely, and another baby just a year later.
One of Dolores' favourite memories was a trip to Maui with Veronica, and Veronica's school musical band. The family enjoyed travelling in their RV, and later they purchased property on Denman Island where they spend many warm and memorable summers.
John died in 1993. He was just in his early 50's when he lost his battle with cancer. After his diagnosis, he and Dolores travelled to the lower mainland, where Dolores would be near her sister and other family. They purchased a condominium in New Westminster for Dolores to live in after John died.
Life was never the same for Dolores after John died, but she had many interests that kept her busy. Among other things, she was an accomplished artist, and she immersed herself in her art. She loved nature, animals, old movies, nature, rock and roll, and ice cream.
In more recent years, her Yorkshire Terrier, Mitch, was a constant and devoted companion. Dolores was always impeccably turned out. She spent a lot of time in shops and consignment stores and took great pride in her style.
As the years passed by, Dolores began to withdraw, and didn't always have an easy time. Later in life, it became more difficult to cope with her condominium and health issues and she decided to move to Glacier View Lodge.
Dolores blossomed under the compassionate care of the staff at Glacier View Lodge, and her friends there. Throughout this time, Dolores also leaned heavily on her friends and trusted advisors, Colleen Ellison and Wendy Johnstone, who provided guidance and support when she needed it most. Dolores was compassionate and giving. To that end, she decided to leave a very large portion of her estate to the Comox Valley Community Foundation, Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, and the SPCA.
Her specific gifts and scholarships will open doors for deserving students moving on to post secondary education, assist women in crisis, feed homeless people in the Comox Valley, help train guide dogs, and provide benefits for animals in the Comox Valley.