Obituary of Doris Dahl
Doris Irene Dahl
Doris was born in Regina, Saskatchewan on Oct 28, 1928 and passed away at Viking Extendicare, Viking Alberta on Feb 18, 2021 at the age of 92 years.
Doris was adopted by William & Margaret Looft and raised on a dairy farm with her adopted sister Loyis at Major, Saskatchewan. As a result of the experiences on the farm, she developed a real dislike for cows and milk! Because of William’s glaucoma, Doris was granted a special driver’s license when she was 14 or 15 years old allowing her to drive with her dad. She had to sit on his lap to see over the steering wheel.
When she left home, she lived with her sister Loyis and her husband Joe at Lacombe where Doris worked as a telephone operator.
Doris married Philip Dahl Nov 3,1947. They began their married life in Veteran, Alberta where Phil managed the Co-op Store. Here, their family was started with Bruce in 1948 & Rick in 1951.
In Sept 1951, Phil began his career with United Grain Growers which took them to Red Willow and New Norway for a short period of time in each place and then to Ferintosh from Dec 1951 – April 1969. The family grew with Cindy (adopted) in 1958, Wayne in 1959 and Cristy-Ann (adopted) in 1966.
Ferintosh was truly Doris’s favorite place to live. She often referred to it as “God’s country! The soil there was wonderfully rich for growing the flowers she planted which always included a large fence for sweet peas and about 300 gladiolas which she would plant in various designs.
She attempted to make dandelion wine one time and let’s just say, it wasn’t a roaring success. One of Bruce and Sylvia’s friends snuck in and got drunk on it. They also used it to light cat tail torches at Little Beaver Lake on the edge of town thinking it was diesel fuel from the railway speeder shed.
While in Ferintosh, Doris did the town books, played piano and taught Sunday School at the United Church & was an Explorer leader.
Many lifelong friendships were formed here, particularly with Mervin & June Giem, Harvey & Edna Germaniuk, Melvin & Cathy Anderson and Omar & Edna Graff.
Phil, Doris, Cindy, Wayne and Cristy-Ann moved to Coronation in 1969 where Phil continued to work for UGG until his retirement in 1987. This move was only to be for a couple of years but as you can see, it turned out to be much longer. Phil had a few weeks holidays each summer so they spent a number of them going back to Ferintosh to visit, parking the holiday trailer at Giem’s or Anderson’s to act as home base. One summer they drove the station wagon with trailer in tow to the coast, boarded the ferry and onto Victoria to visit Loyis & Joe and family. Another visiting spot was in the Lethbridge area where they visited Ralph & Norah Sherwood and took in the sights at Waterton Park. They enjoyed camping at various places with friends and a favorite was Cap Ayre Lake where grandsons Rick Jr, David and Steven took swimming lessons.
Phil & Doris also rode down to Arizona with Mervin and June Giem for a few weeks one winter.
While living in Coronation, Doris played the organ and sang in the choir at the United Church, took a flower arranging course at Old’s College which she thoroughly enjoyed, worked at Christie’s Flower Shop and did books at Coronation Car Care. Phil & Doris along with Bruce’s and Rick’s families belonged to the CB radio club for a few years where she went by the call name “Big Mama”. Great fun was had during the scavenger hunts and many conversations over the radios.
Throughout Doris’s life, she had many canine friends. The one she talked most fondly about was “Butch”, the farm dog at Major.
She enjoyed many hobbies. She made countless candles, pouring wax into cans or milk carton molds of various sizes and heights. Then whipped wax served as snow and it was topped off with glitter and arranged with various Christmas decorations.
Ceramics classes were a great social time and many items were made and gifted. Her family all have a fine collection of her work. She also tried her hand at turning clay but thought it was way too messy!!!
At Christmastime, Doris set up a wrapping station in the basement where she made bows and decorated gifts quite elaborately. The older grandchildren in particular remember wearing the bows after opening their gifts.
She crocheted many afghans, making them for the grandchildren, other family members and friends. Hundreds of hand towels with crocheted tops were made and hundreds more nylon net balls (scrubbies) were assembled and gifted.
She always liked to have a new dress or outfit and would have a lady wherever she lived sew them for her. Phil’s Auntie Ida Enger early on, Eileen Saffron in Ferintosh & Lil Carl in Coronation.
Doris had a true love for gadgets and trends and often had at least one, but more often multiples of the things that sparked her interest. Her love for shopping was the perfect partner for this interest. The family was always recipients of any new processed foods and snacks which included the earliest TV dinners and Kraft Dinner. Not all were fond memories.
Perhaps to balance out her time for hobbies and interests, Doris was certain to lay down after lunch and to watch her favorite soap operas.
Phil & Doris moved to Red Deer Oct 1995. Phil spent his last 4 1/2 years in Coronation Continuing Care until his passing in 2010 and Doris remained in Red Deer until Nov 2014 when she moved to Viking Extendicare. She lived there until her passing.
Doris is survived by her Children, Grandchildren & Great Grandchildren:
Bruce & Sylvia Dahl
Jodie Dahl, Linden & Dorian Akbari
Aron Dahl (Stephanie Milley), Mikaela, Makenna & Brady Dahl, Leo Jr & Lexi Milley
Lindsey Davis (Jeremy Dahl’s spouse) & her son Forest Robson
Richard Dahl Sr’s Family
Rick Jr, Rose & Michael Dahl
Steven, Jennifer, Jorja & Lexie Dahl
Cindy & Alan Doyle
Kim Doyle, Austin & Brynn Richard
Shawn, Ashlee, Owen & Grayson Doyle
Cristy-Ann & Egon Petersen Bach
Robert Petersen Bach & Fiance Erika Norgren
Tova Petersen Bach
As well as her Sister-in-law Evelyn Walker, Nephew-in-law Kevin(Bonnie) Walker & family and Nieces Karen Campbell & family, Lori Toms (Dave) & family, Wendy Sims & family.
Doris was predeceased by her Parents William & Margaret Looft, Husband Phil (2010), Sons Richard Sr (2015) & Wayne (2016), Grandsons David (1994) & Jeremy (2017), Sister Loyis Schmidt (2020 ), Brothers-in-law Joe Schmidt, Lloyd Dahl, Leonard Dahl & Bill Walker, Niece Janice Graydon & her husband Patrick Graydon, Nieces-in-law Beverly Walker and Patricia Walker, Nephew-in-law Ken Campbell.
In keeping with Doris’s wishes there will be no service. Cremation has taken place and inurnment will be in the Veteran Cemetery at a later date.
If desired, donations may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Doris
Dahl..
fee and sons funeral home & cremation
Death notice for the town of: Killam, Province: Alberta