Obituary for Doris Foley (Hayfield)
Doris passed away peacefully at the CapitalCare Strathcona Nursing Home in Sherwood Park, Alberta at the age of 94 years.
Doris is survived by her three daughters, June (Alex) Foley-Ord of Kelowna, BC; Adele (Gordon Scholotiuk) Foley of Duncan, BC; and Carolyn (Bill) Brandon of Ardrossan, AB. Six grandchildren: Katherine (James) Weir of Kelowna, BC; Nanette (Mark Loveseth) Warman of Saanichton, BC; Tracey (Alan) Wikenheiser of Kelowna, BC; Lesley (Doug) McMillan of Vancouver, BC; Jamie (Glen) Westerhof of Edmonton, AB; and Stuart Brandon of Edmonton, AB. Eight great-grandchildren: Gavin, Ainzley, Matthew, Barry, Ewan, Katerina, Kassandra and Gerrit. Doris is also survived by her brother Robert Hayfield and her sister Elsie Hough in Manchester, UK. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 61 years, Francis C. Foley (Frank) in 2004 and her sister Alice in 1978.
Born in Salford, U.K. to Martha (Smith) and William Henry Hayfield, she married her husband Frank on February 13, 1943. After the war, they embarked on a life of travel and adventure—initially with the R.A.F. and after coming to Canada in 1968.
Doris had many talents including hair dressing, sewing, knitting, crochet, and macramé. Her baking was wonderful, particularly her pastry. She learned her pastry skills at one of her first jobs working in “Mr. Donn’s” bakery in Salford. During Word War II, she also worked in the mills in Manchester.
She was also an artist, painting mostly with oils. Her favourite subjects were the beautiful mountains of western Canada and roses. And she was an excellent badminton player. When stationed at RCAF Namao, she won numerous singles and doubles championships. She was also one of the first “Keep Fit to Music” instructors.
She loved trivia games and word puzzles and was very good at both, often beating her children soundly and on her many cruises she was a much feared opponent, often teamed with her middle daughter. She also loved movies and music, and especially movie musicals! A trait inherited by all her daughters.
She and Frank loved a good party. They were wonderful dancers; the foxtrot and quickstep being their favourites. On the boat trip to Canada was the first time their youngest daughter had seen her parents dance together and she remembers being so proud of them as they were so elegant on the dance floor.
Wherever Doris lived through her many travels, she always made friends quickly and enjoyed life to the fullest, despite sometimes difficult times. She often had to travel alone with her children, following Frank to the next RAF destination. But she had a great sense of humour and even at the end, when her body failed her, Doris was a force of nature at the nursing home where she resided—keeping the staff on their toes, and keeping them laughing with her many stories and her quick wit. When she passed, they too said they had “lost our mother.”
Doris also had a very special relationship with her eldest great grandson that continued until her death, often visiting her to watch movies and whilst in Devon he would play dominoes with her and her friends.
In her final years she also became very close to her three youngest great grandchildren who visited her regularly.
Doris and Frank’s ashes will be joined together and scattered at a private family celebration of life in the summer of 2018 in an area of British Columbia they loved. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Diabetes Foundation.
The following poem was a favourite of Doris’. It came on a postcard she received from her daughter June. She kept it because it always made her smile and chuckle:
ME MUDDER
When my prayers were early said
Who tucked me in my widdle bed
And spanked my ass till it was wed?
-me Mudder
Who lifted me from my cosy cot
And set me on an ice-cold pot
And made me pee if I could or not?
-me Mudder
And when the morning light had come
And in my crib I dribbled some
Who wiped my tiny little bum?
-me Mudder
Who did my hair so neatly part
And pressed me gently to her heart
And sometimes squeezed me till I’d fart?
-me Mudder
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Doris Foley Hayfield 1923 2017.source
Décès pour la Ville: Edmonton, Province: Alberta