AUGUSTUS, Dorothy (nee BLAKEY) -
Peacefully at Lakeridge Health Oshawa on October 1, 2017 in her 107th year. Loving and devoted wife of Harold (deceased). Loving mother of Diane and John (Carol).

Dorothy was born in Kingston, in 1911. Her father died when she was four: she and her four siblings (Bernard Blakey, Gladys Percy, Leo Blakey, Marion Gaudreau: all deceased) were raised by their single mom, Emma (Simpson), a practical nurse. The Simpsons immigrated to Canada from London, England in 1892 for a better life.

Dorothy was a devout Catholic descended from the Catholic Scottish MacDonell clan, 2,000 of whom moved to and formed Glengarry County, Ontario in 1804 , led by Bishop Alexander MacDonell (the first Catholic Bishop of Upper Canada 1826, residing in Kingston) as a result of a land grants negotiation due to the Scottish Highland Clearances.

Dorothy vividly remembered the celebrations of the end of World War 1 in Kingston, along with the first automobiles replacing horses, and the first airplane that landed in a Kingston field. She loved to visit schools to tell students about the changes she had seen.

A talented student, Dorothy was a founding member of the first Catholic Girl Guide Company in Kingston. She graduated in nursing from Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston in 1932, and practiced at Whitby Psychiatric Hospital (now Ontario Shores) in Whitby for 38 years. Dorothy was a founding member of the St. John the Evangelist Church Catholic Women’s League, Whitby, in the 1930’s and served as president.

Dorothy and Harold operated a retail store, Sportsman’s Corner, in Whitby during the 1960’s where they had one of the first Wine Kitz franchises. Of course, family members loved to evaluate the latest batch and Dorothy would tell stories of her grandmother’s dandelion wine.

Cherished grandmother of Joanne (Frank) Burghardt, Michael (Carol), James (Heather) and Jillian Anderson, Brenda (Archie) Walker, Laura (Steve) Epp, Dawn (Don) Velazquez and Scott (Trish) Augustus. Great-grandmother to Vanessa Corner, Alison Ness, Jason Burghardt, Megan and Tyler Epp, Matthew and Jacob Valazquez, Quinn and Elijah Augustus, Justine, Julie (deceased) and Wyatt Walker, Patrick and Colin Steen, Jacob Anderson, Danielle (Mark) Hare and Michael Thomas. Great-great grandmother to Madelyn Walker, Silvia and Brayden Corner and Llewyn Ness. Survived by niece and nephew Jane and Peter Hanley, and her cousin Doreen Moloney (age 94).

Our thanks to the staff at Chartwell Centennial Retirement Residence in Oshawa, Fairview Lodge in Whitby and Lakeridge Oshawa for taking such good care of Dorothy.

Visitation at W.C. TOWN FUNERAL CHAPEL, 110 Dundas Street East, Whitby. Visitation Wednesday, October 4, 6-8 p.m. Funeral at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 903 Giffard Street, Whitby, Thursday, October, 5 at 12 noon, with interment at Groveside Cemetery immediately following mass, 5155 Baldwin Street, (Hwy.12) north of Whitby. Reception to follow at parish hall beside church.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.wctownfuneralchapel.com.

Dorothy joked that St Peter wouldn’t take her and the devil didn’t want her….humour contributed to her longevity… plus having many centenarians on both sides of her family.

We suspect she went over St Peter’s head on Sunday!!!