DOROTHY (Dody) MITCHELL (nee HOLMES)
February 25, 1931 (St. John’s, Newfoundland) – January 1, 2021 (Collingwood, Ontario).
It is with heavy hearts we announce the peaceful passing of Dody in her 90th year. Dody is survived by her beloved husband Lorne of 65 years and her children Sue Jorgensen (Randy), Cathie Archibald (Don), and Steve Mitchell (Barb Leighton). Adoring grandmother to David Jorgensen, Scott Chapman, Sarah Jorgensen, Kevin Chapman, John Mitchell, Erica Mitchell, Sam Archibald, and Maggie Archibald. Loving aunt to Sheila (Wright) Stewart and Mary Wright. Dody was predeceased by children Sandy (d.1995) and Geoff (d.2020); parents Evelyn Holmes and Alice (Pike); siblings Nancy, Robert (Bob) and Helen (Wright); and nephew Robert (Bob) Wright.
Dody moved to Toronto as an infant. Her father was a banking manager, and the family spent a short time in Windsor, ON, and then returned to Toronto. Dody entered grade 7 at Havergal College in Toronto and completed high school there. She successfully competed in many athletics at Havergal where she also made many life-long friendships. In her later years she was known to say, “I used to be a fantastic athlete, but now I’m just a good sport.” As a teenager, Dody enjoyed her time as a camp counsellor teaching canoeing for a few summers in Ontario’s cottage country. Dody taught nursery school for the city of Toronto before marrying Lorne in 1955 and she briefly returned to teaching after her own 5 children were in school. Most importantly, she was a fabulous homemaker. She took care of a busy, active household in Toronto (Don Mills) and in the early years at the summer cottage in Beaverton and later at Healey Lake. She took up piano at the age of 60 and began her interest in painting in her late 70’s. She and Lorne retired to Collingwood in 1998 where she became an active volunteer at the Collingwood Hospital for 10 years and was a member and past president of the (Collingwood) Probus By the Bay Club.
She loved her family time and ski holidays to Snowmass, Colorado, her trips to follow the national and international figure skating competitions, and the many summers spent in Kelowna with Lorne and family.
She was the “hostess with the mostess” and the life of any party or gathering. She entertained friends, colleagues and clients (who, as often as not, became one and the same) and in that regard was a key contributor to Lorne’s business success. Dody had a wonderful sense of humour, she smocked many baby outfits and was rarely without knitting needles. If she wasn’t being crafty, she was baking butter tarts and delivering them to her doctors, dentists and friends everywhere.
Her kind, generous and fun-filled heart embraced family, friends and neighbours of all ages and particularly furry four-footed creatures. Dody did not know a stranger. She made it a point to know everyone in every store by name. She carried around an envelope filled with jokes to brighten everyone’s day. We will miss her larger than life laugh and that “Dody sparkle”.
Her family extends a special thank you to the staff at Sunset Manor, in particular those in West Simcoe for the love and care they provided to Dody for nearly 3 years. A special thank you to Drs. Gandhi (Stayner) and Engell (Collingwood) and Dr. Gordon Tisdall (Toronto), for their kindness and support over the years.
In lieu of flowers, the family would be honoured that a donation be made in Dody’s memory to the Humane Society: www.humanesociety.com/ or the Alzheimer’s Society: www.alzheimer.ca
Due to the Pandemic, a celebration of life will be held later in 2021.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Dorothy Dody Mitchell Friday January 1st 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Collingwood, Province: Ontario