14 December 1951 – 23 June 2022
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Dale Innes on 23 June 2022. Dale passed away peacefully at the age of 70 at Arch Hospice Sault Ste. Marie where close friends were constantly with her.
Dale was predeceased by her father and mother, Philip V. Innes and Myrtle I. Innes (nee Oxford). Dale is survived by her sister Marilyn Lawrie (nee Innes) and brother Ron (Clio) Innes. She will be deeply missed by nephews Doug (Dora), Brent, Craig (Colleen) and Ryan Lawrie and step-daughter Bridget Neilson (nee Anstice) (Eric), and step-son Erik Anstice. Dale was also greatly loved and admired by great nieces and nephews Shaun, Robbie, Dana (Bryson) and daughter Daphne, Alex (Shelby), Patrick, Gillian, Catherine, Nicholas and Alyssa; and, her step-grandchildren Jack and Emily.
While none of Dale’s immediate family resides in Sault Ste. Marie, she had a large ‘family’ of very close friends in town, and in Toronto, that will also miss her dearly.
Dale was born and raised in Toronto and graduated from Don Mills Collegiate Institute in 1969. From a very young age Dale had a passion for and talent in music, specializing in piano. In 1972 she received her Associate Diploma (A.R.C.T.) in Piano Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She followed this with a B.Mus. at McGill U in 1978, and an M.A. at York U in 1990. Finally, she recently completed her Graduate Diploma Piano Pedagogy Research at U of Ottawa in 2020.
Dale’s career path followed the music, and her love of travel. In 1991 she relocated to Sault Ste. Marie. She was employed at Algoma University for over twenty years as an Adjunct Sessional Instructor (Music) and Coordinator of the Music Department. Throughout her adult life she was an instructor and examiner for the RCM, and a prolific performer herself. She also offered private piano lessons through the Algoma Conservatory of Music and at her own private studio where her beloved baby grand took pride of place in her living room. Over the years Dale was a member of numerous committees and boards at the university and in the community, and organized many very popular concerts and events in the area, such as the annual “Music at the Rapids”. She also acted as an Adjudicator at numerous Music Festivals throughout Canada. The one exception to her musical path was two years spent in China 2001-2003 teaching English at the WECL English College. Dale was a past president of the Sault Ste. Marie branch of the Ont. Registered Music Teachers Assn, and an active research associate with the Northern Ontario Research, Development, Ideas and Knowledge Institute (NORDIK) affiliated with Algoma U. Finally, Dale was an author whose most recent publication in 2015 is a book about one of her favourite musical influences – ‘Seeking Solitude: Glenn Gould and the Goldberg Variations’.
Dale had a love of travel and experiencing many of the different cultures the world has to offer. She loved to read and relished her time with her Book Club in the Sault. Dale also had a great love, respect and concern for the outdoors and all that nature has to offer and was very active in many outdoor activities. She also loved spending time at her shared cabin on Achigan Lake along the Algoma Central Railway with her many friends.
Dale was a very socially conscious person, involved with and supportive of many community and charitable organizations. Some of which are mentioned below.
Her family would like to extend a sincere thank-you to the staffs at Sunnybrook Hospital Oncology, Sault Area Hospital and Arch Hospice. Also, words cannot describe the heartfelt gratitude we have for the friends in Dale’s Book Club who went on numerous safe walks with her during her treatments through the Covid pandemic and who spent hours in shifts caring and comforting her while she was in palliative care at home and at the hospice.
Following cremation there will be a Celebration of Life scheduled at a later date. Please follow the O’Sullivan Funeral Home website for details when they are announced. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to one of the following charities that Dale supported: SOS Children’s Villages Canada; Nature Conservancy of Canada; Sault Area Hospital Foundation; Arch Hospice; or, Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains.
Read Less
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Dale Anita Innes Thursday June 23 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Sault Ste Marie, Province: Ontario