On Sept 17, 2022, Doris
Winona Harkness peacefully passed away at St
Vincent’s Nursing Home in Halifax. Mom did it her way, quick
no fuss, laid down for a nap and let God do the rest. God took her in
his hands at a youthful age of 89 years. She could touch her toes and
walk for miles but dementia was her enemy for the last several
years.
Growing up on a Holstein dairy farm in
West Amherst she lived the farmer’s life, one that is hectic
with a lot of tasks and work that must be completed every day, she
learned about hard work at an early age. She would often go with her
father on the horse and wagon to deliver milk. The Holstein cows were
her passion all her life, once she was nominated by the 4H Club to
attend the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, which was a big deal back
then.
Mom loved Amherst, she started her work
career at the Royal Bank and later took on the Supervisory position at
the Eaton’s Catalog Office where she worked for 17 years
retiring in 1976 when Eaton’s
closed.
Doris was a very independent person,
strict but fair and always willing to give a helping hand. She
dedicated over 70 years to the First Baptist Church, sang in the choir
every Sunday and held many committee positions during those
years.
As a working woman she also was a very
talented homemaker, she loved to cook especially brown bread and
ginger cookies. She knit hundreds of mittens for the Christmas Church
Boxes every year. She also quilted and sewed many outfits. Anything
with a needle, she could turn into something beautiful. She loved to
garden and had a huge affection for plants, especially
Geraniums.
Doris loved watching hockey and she
stuck by the Leafs always. One of her hockey highlights was when she
meet Gordie Howe in 1964 and again in 1993 in Halifax. She presented
Gordie with the picture he signed in 1964. They had quite a
conversation about it.
During the later years she became a bit
of a historian as she loved to research genealogy, writing a book of
the Lusby Family History and also assisting her husband Len Harkness
with his book, The History of The Amherst
Police.
Doris was predeceased by her parents,
Walter and Inez Lusby, her brother Kenneth Lusby, sister Shirley
Porter and her loving husband Leonard
Harkness.
Doris is survived by her daughter, Terry
Doyle (Bob), Dartmouth; her son Brian Fowler (Lori), Fenwick; three
grandchildren, Pamela Horne (Nicholas), Enfield, Adam Fowler
(Candace), Moncton, and Matthew Fowler (Brittney), Truemanville, as
well as five great granddaughters, Clara and Eloise Horne, Kate
Miller, and Charlotte and Emma Fowler, and many nieces and
nephews.
The family wishes to extend their
deepest gratitude to everyone at the St. Vincent’s Nursing Home for
their compassion and care for mom during this past
year.
Arrangements are under the care and
supervision of the Jones Family Funeral
Centre, 70 Church Street, Amherst, NS
(902-667-8777). A memorial service will be held on
Wednesday, September 21 2022, at First Baptist Church, Amherst, at 2
p.m with interment to follow in the Amherst Cemetery.
Memorial Donations in Doris’s
memory can be made to First Baptist Church, Amherst, Cumberland VON,
Cumberland County Palliative Hospice Care or a charity of your
choice.
Sharing of memories and condolences may
be sent to the family by visiting the online memorial at
wwwjonesfamilyfuneralcentre.ca or through the Jones Family Funeral
Centre Facebook Page.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Doris W Harkness 1933 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Amherst, Province: Nova Scotia
I often thought of Doris over the years. She was such a lovely person. Len and my husband had lots to gab about when they met up, but I remember her as a counselor at camp Pagweak where we took our two girls, they loved her. Ken and I send out deepest sympathy to the family.